Crimson Twilight: Dusk
by Tom Valor
Summary: Immortality...what does it mean to be a force of power in Midgard? War threatens to engulf the entire world of Midgard as the great monsters rise against each other. In the midst of this chaos, a band of heroes will determine the final outcome.
1. Character Map

Author's Notes: Don't read this chapter from beginning to the end. It WILL bore you to do so. This is a character map and it is not meant for people who have not yet read the story from beginning to the end. The character map is for people who have read all the way to the latest chapter or have at least read several chapters. The character map is to answer the "who's who" aspect of the fic.

The character map is also not just for the current Crimson Twilight it will serve as the basis of all my other fics that I will relate to the same Rune-Midgard I am trying to build up. It also serves as basis for any CT-based fic so there are bits of information here that may not relate to CT as of now, such as events that aren't narrated or characters not mentioned. They will be narrated when the trilogy progresses or I create another CT-based fic.

Disclamer: I am going to write this only once for the trilogy. I do not own Ragnarok Online. I do own the characters in this fic that are not found in the game. The histories I have attached to the game-based characters such as the MVPs are of my creation and are not actual histories of the characters.

_**Character Map**_

**The Companions**

**Makaelthos Solcry**

Nickname: Mak

Age: 24

Birthplace: Morroc

Race: Morrocan

Class: Crusader

Focus: Lightbearer

Rank: First Knight Division Crusader Specialist

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 1: First Encounter

Family: Meldas Solcry (Father), Mina Solcry (Mother), Horus/Re-Horakthy (Ancestor), Osiris (Ancestor), Isis (Ancestor), Kallifen (Surrogate father)

**Eliarainne Sialsanderin**

Nickname: Rainne

Age: 23

Birthplace: Geffen

Race: Geffenese/Glastheimian

Class: Knight

Focus: Cavalier

Rank: First Knight Commander

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 1: First Encounter

Family: Cafilex Sialsanderin (Uncle), Silsendra Sialsanderin (Mother), Salendriel (Father)

**Silmeia Cafilence**

Nickname: Sil

Age: 23

Birthplace: Prontera

Race: Pronteran

Class: Priestess

Focus: Radiant

Rank: Second Head Priestess

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 3: A meeting of cruel fates

Family: Regdos Cafilence (Father), Anaestra Cafilence (Mother), Lystra Cafilence (Younger sister), Abraxil Sovivor (Creator)

**Trenzein Zaisen**

Nickname: Zein

Age: 24

Birthplace: Geffen

Race: Geffenese

Class: Wizard

Focus: Generalist

Rank: Wizard specialist

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 8: A gathering of companions

Family: Salnus Zaisen (Father), Erina Zaisen (Mother)

**Seihanine Xalascent **

Nickname: Sei

Age: 22

Birthplace: Payon

Race: Payonese

Class: Huntress

Focus: Falconer

Rank: Subcommander for the Second Hunter Division

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 13: Invasion

Family: Rizzed Xalascent (Father), Reisa Xalascent (Mother), Kreizen Xalascent (Older brother), Maiha Il-Xalascent (Older half-sister), Eldrid Xalascent (Second degree cousin), Krisarn Xalascent (Grand Uncle), Heldurien Xalascent (Ancestor)

**Kreizen Xalascent**

Nickname: Reiz

Age: 26

Birthplace: Payon

Race: Payonese

Class: Blacksmith

Focus: Battlecrafter

Rank: Auxilliary smith for the Second Hunter Division

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 13: Invasion

Family: Rizzed Xalascent (Father), Reisa Xalascent (Mother), Seihanine Xalascent (Younger sister), Maiha Il-Xalascent (Younger half-sister), Eldrid Xalascent (Second degree cousin), Krisarn Xalascent (Grand Uncle), Heldurien Xalascent (Ancestor)

**Khaesilya**

Nickname: None

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Payon

Race: Sohee

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: None

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 1: First Encounter

Family: None (Serves as Makaelthos Socry's servant)

**NightKnife**

**Trynis Eviskrae**

Nickname: Ryn

Age: 24

Birthplace: Morroc

Race: Morrocan/Al de baranese

Class: Rogue

Focus: All

Rank: Guild mistress of NightKnife

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 2: Dark Roots

Family: Nasq Eviskrae (Father), Lyria Eviskrae (Mother)

**Kallifen**

Nickname: None

Age: 50

Birthplace: Morroc

Race: Morrocan

Class: Assassin

Focus: Katars

Rank: Former personal retainer of Nasq Eviskrae, currently personal retainer to Trynis Eviskrae

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 44: Rainfall

Family: Unknown (Raised Makaelthos Solcry in the Eviskrae household)

**Creivil**

Nickname: None

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Glastheim

Race: Injustice

Class: None (possesses many assassin skills)

Focus: Katars

Rank: NightKnife Prod

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 18: Honor and loyalty

Family: Unknown

**Rianne Xileria**

Nickname: None

Age: 22

Birthplace: Morroc

Race: Morrocan/Pronteran

Class: Rogue

Focus: Marksman

Rank: Personal retainer to Trynis Eviskrae

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 28: Possession

Family: Unknown

**Enrall Vaeris**

Nickname: None

Age: 30

Birthplace: Geffen

Race: Geffenese

Class: Rogue

Focus: Combat

Rank: Knife of the Night (Geffen Branch)

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 35: First Interlude

Family: Unknown

**Verthus Halien**

Nickname: None

Age: 36

Birthplace: Alberta

Race: Albertan/Payonese

Class: Assassin

Focus: Katars

Rank: Knife of the Night (Alberta Branch)

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 35: First Interlude

Family: Unknown

**Nykeia Serith**

Nickname: Nyks

Age: 23

Birthplace: Al de baran

Race: Morrocan/Al de baranese

Class: Alchemist

Focus: Crafter

Rank: Knife of the Night (Al de baran Branch)

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 35: First Interlude

Family: Hevin Serith (Father), Tyria Serith (Mother)

**Clan Xalascent**

**Maiha Il-Xalascent**

Nickname: Mai

Age: 24

Birthplace: Payon

Race: Payonese/Morrocan

Class: Assassin

Focus: Daggers

Occupation: Freelance assassin

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 25: Complications

Family: Rizzed Xalascent (Father), Seihanine Xalascent (Younger half-sister), Kreizen Xalascent (Older half-brother), Eldrid Xalascent (Second degree cousin), Krisarn Xalascent (Grand uncle), Reisa Xalascent (Stepmother), Heldurien Xalascent (Ancestor), Unknown (Mother)

**Eldrid Xalascent**

Nickname: None

Age:24

Birthplace: Payon

Race: Payonese

Class: Hunter

Focus: Marksman

Occupation: Freelance hunter

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 15: Further Complications

Family: Rizzed Xalascent (Uncle), Seihanine Xalascent (Second degree cousin), Kreizen Xalascent (Second degree cousin), Krisarn Xalascent (Grand uncle), Reisa Xalascent (Aunt), Heldurien Xalascent (Ancestor)

**Heldurien Xalascent**

Nickname: None

Age: 238 (At death)

Birthplace: Payon

Race: Payonese (Elf)

Class: Master smith

Focus: All

Rank: Grand Smith of Payon

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 40: Kreizen Xalascent, Part I: To the beginning (As Tyrfing)

Family: Rizzed Xalascent (Descendant), Seihanine Xalascent (Descendant), Kreizen Xalascent (Descendant), Krisarn Xalascent (Descendant), Reisa Xalascent (Descendant), Eldrid Xalascent (Descendant), Grimtooth (Creation), Mysteltainne (Creation), Executioner (Creation), Tyrfing (Creation)

**Rizzed Xalascent**

Nickname: Rizz

Age: 27 (At death)

Birthplace: Payon

Race: Payonese

Class: Blacksmith

Focus: Battlecrafter

Occupation: Xalascent Clan Patriarch

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 40: Kreizen Xalascent, Part V: Master Smith

Family: Reisa Xalascent (Younger sister/Wife), Seihanine Xalascent (Daughter), Kreizen Xalascent (Son), Maiha Il-Xalascent (Son), Krisarn Xalascent (Uncle), Eldrid Xalascent (Nephew), Heldurien Xalascent (Ancestor)

**Krisarn Xalascent**

Nickname: None

Age: 64 (At death)

Birthplace: Payon

Race: Payonese

Class: Blacksmith

Focus: Forger

Occupation: Xalascent Clan Elder

Briefly mentioned in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 40: Kreizen Xalascent, Part III: Moonlight Flower

Family: Reisa Xalascent (Niece), Seihanine Xalascent (Grand niece), Kreizen Xalascent (Grand nephew), Rizzed Xalascent (Nephew), Maiha Il-Xalascent (Grand niece), Eldrid Xalascent (Grand nephew), Heldurien Xalascent (Ancestor)

**Reisa Xalascent**

Nickname: Reis

Age: 22 (At death)

Birthplace: Payon

Race: Payonese

Class: Dancer

Focus: Enchantress

Occupation: Freelance dancer

Briefly mentioned in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 40: Kreizen Xalascent, Part II: Unnatural Causes

Family: Rizzed Xalascent (Older brother/husband), Seihanine Xalascent (Daughter), Kreizen Xalascent (Son), Maiha Il-Xalascent (stepdaughter), Eldrid Xalascent (Nephew), Heldurien Xalascent (Ancestor), Krisarn Xalascent (Uncle)

**The Pronteran Army**

**Quai Hune **

Nickname: None

Age: 52

Birthplace: Prontera

Race: Pronteran/Luthian

Class: Knight

Focus: Cavalier

Rank: Grand Knight Commander

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 42: Counterattack

Family: Dern Hune (Father), Fei Hune (Mother) Yeris Hune (Wife), Shuai Hune (Son)

**Hakien Hyou**

Nickname: None

Age: 60

Birthplace: Amatsu

Race: Amatsunese

Class: Wizard

Focus: Fire caster

Rank: Grand Wizard Commander

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 35: Trust

Family: Kyoen Hyou (Father), Maki Hyou (Mother), Kaku Hyou (Younger sister)

**Gardzen Haelungrein**

Nickname: None

Age: 25

Birthplace: Prontera

Race: Pronteran

Class: Knight

Focus: Skirmisher

Rank: Fourth Knight Commander

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight Dusk, Chapter 3: A meeting of cruel fates

Family: Sedzen Haelungrein (Father), Kaera Haelungrein (Mother), Degthos Haelungrein (Older brother)

**Caltressa Auruvinai**

Nickname: Callie

Age: 19

Birthplace: Prontera

Race: Pronteran/Geffenese

Class: Knight

Focus: Skirmisher

Rank: Subcommander of the Fourteenth Knight Division

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 47: The doppelganger's assault

Family: Therin Auruvinai (Father), Tessa Auruvinai (Mother), Serina Auruvinai (Older sister)

**Kinzek Veltis**

Nickname: Zek

Age: 25

Birthplace: Morroc

Race: Pronteran/Morrocan

Class: Knight

Focus: Skirmisher

Rank: Subcommander of the Fourth Knight Division

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 36: Attracting opposites

Family: Kzek Veltis (Father), Lera Veltis (Mother)

**Airinn Uragi**

Nickname: Ai

Age: 17

Birthplace: Prontera

Race: Pronteran/Amatsunese

Class: Priestess

Focus: Mercy bringer

Rank: Second Priest Division Healer

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 12: Armored Darkness

Family: Kadan Uragi (Father), Sasha Uragi (Mother)

**Althamas Kadrezyll**

Nickname: Al

Age: 23

Birthplace: Prontera

Race: Pronteran

Class: Knight

Focus: Cavalier

Rank: Subcommander of the First Knight Division

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 3: A meeting of cruel fates

Family: Bormas Kadrezyll (Father), Nixan Kadrezyll (Mother)

**Jevar Kyalid**

Nickname: Jevs

Age: 25

Birthplace: Payon

Race: Pronteran/Payonese

Class: Blacksmith

Focus: Forger

Rank: First Knight Division Auxilliary Blacksmith

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 34: Eliarainne Sialsanderin, Part I: Suppressed Nature

Family: Ogdar Kyalid (Father), Magda Kyalid (Mother), Bevar Kyalid (Younger brother)

**The Church**

**Eidathen Karfineis**

Nickname: None

Age: 32

Birthplace: Al de baran

Race: Al de baranese

Class: Priest

Focus: Radiant

Rank: High Cardinal

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 35: Silmeia Cafilence, Part II: Suffering

Family: Therudin Karfineis (Father), Nemi Karfineis (Mother), Delrion Res (Uncle)

**Lystra Cafilence**

Nickname: Lys

Age: 18 (At death)

Birthplace: Prontera

Race: Pronteran

Class: Priestess

Focus: Mercy Bringer

Rank: Healer

Introduced in: Shadows of Greater things, Chapter I: Fleeting light Part I

Family: Regdos Cafilence (Father), Anaestra Cafilence (Mother), Silmeia Cafilence (Older sister)

**Kerari Phanaea**

Nickname: None

Age: 26 (At time of disappearance)

Birthplace: Prontera

Race: Pronteran

Class: Priestess

Focus: Radiant

Rank: Inquisitor

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 36: Silmeia Cafilence, Part I: Justice

Family: Migueros Phanaea (Father), Calysta Phanaea (Mother)

**Gadian Ilderin**

Nickname: Dian

Age: 26

Birthplace: Pronteran

Race: Pronteran

Class: Priest

Focus: Mercy bringer

Rank: Sixth Head Priest

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 29: Faith

Family: Devin Ilderin (Father), Nifa Ilderin (Mother), Vasu Ilderin (Younger brother)

**Rithaln Nezzil **

Nickname: Rith

Age: 27

Birthplace: Geffen

Race: Pronteran

Class: Crusader

Focus: Guardian

Rank: Main Church Warden

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 36: Silmeia Cafilence, Part III: Agony

Family: Vethaln Nezzil (Father), Gidia Nezzil (Mother)

**Silsendra Sialsanderin**

Nickname: None

Age: 28 (At death)

Birthplace: Geffen

Race: Geffenese

Class: Crusader

Focus: Vindicator

Rank: First Vindication Captain

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 34: Eliarainne Sialsanderin, Part IV: Lord Knight

Family: Cafilex Sialsanderin (Younger brother), Eliarainne Sialsanderin (Daughter)

**Vasu Ilderin**

Nickname: Vas

Age: 23

Birthplace: Prontera

Race: Pronteran

Class: Priest

Focus: Mercy bringer

Rank: Sixth Priest Division Healer

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 42: The Seventh Day, Part I: Silmeia's Trial

Family: Devin Ilderin (Father), Nifa Ilderin (Mother), Gadian Ilderin (Older brother)

**Delrion Res**

Nickname: None

Age: 62

Birthplace: Al de baran

Race: Al de baranese

Class: Priest

Focus: Radiant

Rank: High radiant

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 42: The Seventh Day, Part I: Silmeia's Trial

Family: Therudin Karfineis (Older brother), Eidathen Karfineis (Nephew)

**The Geffen Magic Academy**

**Koullufen Aethernas**

Nickname: None

Age: 53

Birthplace: Geffen

Race: Geffenese

Class: Wizard

Focus: Lightning caster

Rank: Elder council

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 38: Night

Family: Belden Aethernas (Father), Geira Aethernas (Mother)

**Learia Adrivaence**

Nickname: Lea

Age: 17

Birthplace: Juno

Race: Junoan

Class: Mage

Focus: Frost Caster

Rank: Student

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Prologue: Letters

Family: Venro Adrivaence (Father), Nysa Adrivaence (Mother)

**Salnus Zaisen**

Nickname: Sal

Age: 30 (At death)

Birthplace: Geffen

Race: Geffenese

Class: Sage

Focus: Wizard slayer

Rank: Elder Council

Briefly mentioned in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 37: Trenzein Zaisen, Part I: A waste of time

Family: Erina Zaisen (Wife), Trenzein Zaisen (Son)

**Erina Zaisen**

Nickname: None

Age: 35 (At death)

Birthplace: Geffen

Race: Geffenese

Class: Wizard

Focus: Fire caster

Rank: Council

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 37: Trenzein Zaisen, Part I: A waste of time

Family: Salnus Zaisen (Husband), Trenzein Zaisen (Son)

**Colrenz Caimmis**

Nickname: Renz

Age: 19

Birthplace: Geffen

Race: Geffenese

Class: Wizard

Focus: Frost Caster

Rank: Graduate

Introduced in: Shadows of Greater things, Chapter 1: Fleeting Light I

Family: Kenz Caimmis (Father), Loumaen Caimmis (Mother)

**Daegan Holgus**

Nickname: Deg

Age: 25

Birthplace: Geffen

Race: Geffenese/Morrocan

Class: Wizard

Focus: Fire caster

Rank: Graduate

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight Dusk, Chapter 16: Idomitable Pride

Family: Unknown

**Seithal Jupitel**

Nickname: None

Age: 68 (At death)

Birthplace: Glastheim

Race: Glastheimian

Class: High Wizard

Focus: All

Rank: Headmaster

Briefly mentioned in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 19: Antithesis

Family: Unknown

**Relkin Cohlm**

Nickname: None

Age:48

Birthplace: Geffen

Race: Geffenese

Class: Wizard

Focus: Frost Caster

Rank: Elder Council

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 37: Trenzein Zaisen, Part IV: Answer

Family: Dakhen Cohlm (Son), Nireida Cohlm (Wife)

**The people of Prontera**

**King Aelthorius I**

Real name: Aelthorius Masgiva

Age: 18

Birthplace: Prontera

Race: Pronteran

Class: Swordsman

Focus: Skirmisher

Rank: King (Prontera)

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 4: The storm begins

Family: King Tristan III (Father), Queen Hesnia (Mother)

**Cafilex Sialsanderin **

Nickname: None

Age: 45

Birthplace: Prontera

Race: Geffenese

Class: Blacksmith

Focus: Forger

Occupation: Buisiness owner (Sialsanderin Forge)

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 15: Paths not taken

Family: Silsendra Sialsanderin (Older sister), Eliarainne Sialsanderin (Niece)

**Nerthes Sevrisn**

Nickname: None

Age: 47

Birthplace: Prontera

Race: Pronteran

Class: Blacksmith

Focus: Forger

Occupation: Buisiness owner (Sevrisn Goods)

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 34: Partners

Family: Egla Sevrisn (Wife), Eldorius Sevrisn (Son), Behamus Sevrisn (Son), Serenus Sevrisn (Son)

**Eldorius Sevrisn**

Nickname: None

Age: 19

Birthplace: Prontera

Race: Pronteran

Class: Merchant

Focus: Forger

Occupation: Merchant for the Sevrisn Goods

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 15: Paths not taken

Family: Nerthes Sevrisn (Father), Egla Sevrisn (Mother), Behamus Sevrisn (Younger brother), Serenus Sevrisn (Younger brother)

**The Abysmal Knights**

**Meil'then Sovivor**

Nickname: None

Age: 67 (At death)

Birthplace: Glastheim

Race: Glastheimian

Class: High Priest

Focus: All

Rank: Grand High Priest

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 29: Abomination

Family: Abraxil Sovivor (Son), Herunaia Sovivor (Wife)

**Agranias**

Nickname: None

Age: 2002 (Including years spent in "The sleep")

Birthplace: Glastheim

Race: Glastheimian

Class: Abysmal knight

Focus: All

Rank: Former abysmal knight captain, Fourth Knight Commander

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 3: A meeting of cruel fates

Family: Meil'then Sovivor (Creator), Ixyll (Son)

**Aelumina**

Nickname: None

Age: 2001

Birthplace: Glastheim

Race: Glastheimian

Class: Abysmal knight

Focus: Marksman

Rank: Abysmal knight captain

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 5: Gathering strife

Family: Selinas (Younger brother), Meil'then Sovivor (Creator)

**Selinas**

Nickname: None

Age: 1997

Birthplace: Glastheim

Race: Glastheimian

Class: Abysmal knight

Focus: Skirmisher

Rank: Abysmal knight subcaptain

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 46: Abysmal knights

Family: Aelumina (Older sister), Meil'then Sovivor (Creator)

**Dornacath**

Nickname: None

Age: 2001

Birthplace: Glastheim

Race: Glastheimian

Class: Abysmal knight

Focus: Cavalier

Rank: Abysmal knight

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 3: Dark knights

Family: Meil'then Sovivor (Creator)

**Phaernal**

Nickname: None

Age: 2001

Birthplace: Glastheim

Race: Glastheimian

Class: Abysmal knight

Focus: Cavalier

Rank: Abysmal knight

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 3: Dark knights

Family: Meil'then Sovivor (Creator)

**Cafranel**

Nickname: None

Age: 2001

Birthplace: Glastheim

Race: Glastheimian

Class: Abysmal knight

Focus: Skirmisher

Rank: Abysmal knight

Briefly mentioned in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 45: Other agendas

Family: Meil'then Sovivor (Creator)

**Dervos**

Nickname: None

Age: 2001

Birthplace: Glastheim

Race: Glastheimian

Class: Abysmal knight

Focus: Skirmisher

Rank: Abysmal knight

Briefly mentioned in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 45: Other agendas

Family: Meil'then Sovivor (Creator)

**Ixyll **

Nickname: None

Age: 1983

Birthplace: Glastheim

Race: Glastheimian

Class: Abysmal knight

Focus: Cavalier

Rank: Abysmal knight captain

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 45: Other agendas

Family: Agranias (Father), Abraxil Sovivor (Creator)

**The Doomed Swords**

**Grimtooth**

Wielder: Trynis Eviskrae

Type: Dagger

Age: 2784

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 33: Makaelthos Solcry, Part III: Fall

Family: Heldurien Xalascent (Creator), Mysteltainne (Younger brother), Executioner (Younger brother), Tyrfing (Younger brother)

**Mysteltainne**

Wielder: Makaelthos Solcry

Type: One-handed sword

Age: 2679

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 24: Servants

Family: Heldurien Xalascent (Creator), Hemildros (Co-creator), Grimtooth (Older brother), Executioner (Younger brother), Tyrfing (Younger brother)

**Executioner**

Wielder: Salendriel

Type: Two-handed sword

Age: 2677

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 24: Servants

Family: Heldurien Xalascent (Creator), Grimtooth (Older brother), Mysteltainne (Older brother), Tyrfing (Younger brother)

**Tyrfing**

Wielder: Kreizen Xalascent

Type: Two-handed axe

Age: 2675

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 40: Kreizen Xalascent, Part I: To the beginning

Family: Heldurien Xalascent (Creator), Grimtooth (Older brother), Mysteltainne (Older brother), Executioner (Older brother)

**Extra-planar Beings**

**Raven Huer**

Nickname: None

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Unknown

Race: Unknown

Class: Spell caster

Focus: All

Rank: None

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 41: Magic/Scarred Silver, Prologue: Terms of ownership

Family: Unknown

**Lizan Killranae **

Nickname: None

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Unknown

Race: Unknown

Class: Archer

Focus: All

Rank: None

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 28: Archery and Magic

Family: Unknown

**Thomas Valorcrescent**

Nickname: None

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Unknown

Race: Demigod

Class: Master Paladin

Focus: All

Divine portfolio: Paladins, War

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 33: Makaelthos Solcry, Part IV: Paladin

Family: Unknown

**Thrackvinyllirix**

Nickname: Thrack

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Unknown

Race: Dragon (Silver)

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: Herald

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 33: Makaelthos Solcry, Part IV: Paladin

Family: Unknown

**Mira Kerarilvenae**

Nickname: None

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Unknown

Race: Demigoddess

Class: Ranger lord

Focus: All

Divine portfolio: Carnage, War

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 38: Second Interlude

Family: Unknown

**Visiden**

Nickname: None

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Unknown

Race: Rage wind

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: Herald

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 38: Second Interlude

Family: None

**Mephistopheles**

Nickname: None

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Nine Hells

Race: Devil

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: Lord of the Eighth Hell

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 37: Trenzein Zaisen, Part III: The road to power

Family: None

**The Source**

Nickname: None

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Unknown

Race: Overdiety

Class: Spell caster

Focus: All

Divine portfolio: Magic, Magic users

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 27: Priorities

Family: None

**The Elves**

**Khirlintas**

Nickname: None

Age: 330 (At death)

Birthplace: Amatsu

Race: Amatsunese (Elf)

Class: Lord Knight

Focus: Skirmisher

Rank: General

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 34: Eliarainne Sialsanderin, Part III: Importance

**People from ancient Morroc**

**Isis**

Nickname: None

Age: 64 (At death)

Birthplace: Glastheim

Race: Glastheimian

Class: High Priestess

Focus: All

Rank: Empress (Morroc)

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 35: Silmeia Cafilence, Part V: High Priestess

Family: Osiris (Husband), Horus/Re-Horakthy (Son), Anubis (Adopted son), Nephtys (Sister in law), Set (Brother in law), Makaelthos Solcry (Descendant)

**Nephtys**

Nickname: None

Age: 25 (At death)

Birthplace: Glastheim

Race: Glastheimian

Class: High Priestess

Focus: Radiant

Rank: High Radiant (Glastheim Church)

Family: Set (Husband), Osiris (Brother in law), Isis (Sister in law), Anubis (Son)

**Horus/Re-Horakthy**

Nickname: None

Age: 71 (At death)

Birthplace: Morroc

Race: Glastheimian

Class: Crusader

Focus: All

Rank: Grand Crusader

Briefly mentioned in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 27: Solcry

Family: Osiris (Father), Isis (Mother), Set (Uncle), Anubis (Older half brother), Nepthys (Aunt), Makaelthos Solcry (Descendant)

**Anubis**

Nickname: None

Age: 74 (At death)

Birthplace: Morroc

Race: Glastheimian

Class: Priest

Focus: All

Rank: Emperor (Morroc)

Briefly mentioned in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 27: Solcry

Family: Osiris (Father), Nephtys (Mother), Isis (Aunt/Adoptive mother), Set (Uncle), Horus/Re-Horakthy (Younger half brother)

**The Immortals**

**Abraxil Sovivor (The Dark Lord)**

Age: 2012

Birthplace: Glastheim

Race: Glastheimian

Class: High Priest/High Wizard/Professor

Focus: All

Rank: Grand High Priest

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 5: Gathering Strife

Family: Meil'then Sovivor (Father), Herunaia Sovivor (Mother)

**Osiris**

Age: 2012

Birthplace: Glastheim

Race: Glastheimian

Class: Champion

Focus: All

Rank: Emperor (Morroc)

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Prologue: Awakening Might

Family: Isis (Wife), Set (Brother), Horus/Re-Horakthy (Son), Anubis (Son), Makaelthos Solcry (Descendant)

**Doppelganger/Joe Buck**

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Plane of Shadow

Race: Unknown

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: None

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Prologue: Awakening Might

Family: None

**Moonlight Flower**

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: The forests of Payon

Race: Nature Spirit

Class: None

Focus: none

Rank: None

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 6: First Strike

Family: None

**Baphomet**

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Infinite layers of the Abyss

Race: Demon

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: None

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 5: Gathering strife

Family: None

**Saldendriel (Blood Knight)**

Age: 2011

Birthplace: Geffen

Race: Glastheimian

Class: Lord Knight

Focus: All

Rank: Grand Knight (Glastheim)

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 8: Revelations

Family: Eliarainne Sialsanderin (Daughter)

**Eddga**

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Forests of Payon

Race: Nature Spirit

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: None

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 6: First Strike

Family: None

**Ghostring**

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Poring Island

Race: Poring

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: None

Briefly mentioned in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 19: Moonlight

Family: None

**Angeling**

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Poring Island

Race: Poring

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: none

Briefly mentioned in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 19: Moonlight

Family: None

**Io-Meghik (Goblin Leader)**

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Goblin Forest

Race: Goblin

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: Tribal Leader (Goblin)

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 49: Battles engaged

Family: None

**Golden Thief Bug**

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Unknown

Race: Insect

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: None

Briefly mentioned in:Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 49: Ixyll's Order

Family: None

**Lord of Death**

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: The Nine Hells

Race: Devil

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: None

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 4: The storm begins

Family: None

**Drugach Makdum (Orc Hero) **

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: The orc lands

Race: Orc

Class: None

Focus: none

Rank: Chieftain

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 5: Gathering strife

Family: None

**Hruggak Delgald (Orc Lord)**

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: The orc lands

Race: Orc

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: Overseer

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 5: Gathering strife

Family: None

**Set (Pharaoh)**

Age: 2007

Birthplace: Glastheim

Race: Glastheimian

Class: High Priest

Focus: Radiant

Rank: None

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 2: Emperor

Family: None

**Panzer Goblin**

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Goblin Forest

Race: Goblin

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: None

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 49: Battles engaged

**Clock Tower Manager **

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus

Race: Construct

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: None

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 5: Gathering Strife

**Werewolf**

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Kobold Forest

Race: Kobold

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: None

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 40: Trenzein's Storm

**Stormy Knight**

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Para-elemental plane of Ice

Race: Elemental

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: None

Briefly mentioned in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 5: Gathering Strife

**Turtle General **

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Turtle Island

Race: Turtle

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: None

Briefly mentioned in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 49: Ixyll's Order

**Drake**

Age: 2022

Birthplace: Alberta

Race: Albertan

Class: Stalker

Focus: All

Rank: None

Introduced in: Crimson Twilight: Dusk, Chapter 6: First Strike

**Zealotus **

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Infinite layers of the Abyss

Race: Demon

Class: None

Focus: None

Briefly mentioned in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 38: Second Interlude

**Evil Snake Lord**

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Plane of Shadow

Race: Unknown

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: None

Briefly mentioned in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 38: Second Interlude

**Rukerzalis Mykenaia (Mutant Dragonoid)**

Age: 2062

Birthplace: Glastheim

Race: Glastheimian

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: None

Briefly mentioned in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 41: Third Interlude

**Hatii**

Age: Unknown

Birthplace: Para elemental plane of ice

Race: Elemental

Class: None

Focus: None

Rank: None

Briefly mentioned in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 38: Second Interlude

**Incantation Samurai**

Age: 2261

Birthplace: Amatsu

Race: Amatsunese (Elf)

Class: Lord Knight

Focus: Skirmisher

Rank: General

Briefly mentioned in: Crimson Twilight: Midnight, Chapter 38: Second Interlude


	2. Awakening might

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Prologue: Awakening might**

For a place meant to serve as a quiet resting place of the dead, there was no peace inside the tomb. It was to be expected, though. The tomb of the great Emperor Osiris of Morroc was one of the most visited places in the world.

The torches that lined its massive stone walls were always fresh, constantly replaced by the unseen hands of the strange things that occupied the tomb. Their lurid orange glow revealed the polished blocks of granite that made up the entirety of the room. The tomb measured over a hundred feet from its entrance, with each granite block painstakingly polished until it felt like marble when touched. The walls were covered with frescoes depicting the emperor vanquishing his foes; from invading armies from the cities of Geffen and Alberta to the horde of demons called out by the emperor's own brother. The ceiling itself was a massive fresco depicting Osiris wrestling the six-armed, serpentine queen of the horde; Osiris' final battle.

The sarcophagus was carved from a single block of marble, intricately engraved with all the symbols of imperial might. It was set in the middle of a large rectangular pool of water found at the center of the tomb and was connected to the rest of the chamber by a bridge. The pool's function still remained a mystery to the visitors of this tomb. The water in seemed to have no depth and it was always fresh, indicating that it flowed from somewhere. It was clean, even potable for anyone daring enough to drink from it but, perhaps, the strangest thing about the tomb lay in the sarcophagus.

The sarcophagus was not sealed.

Osiris' final resting place was opened from time to time. There was no dust on the sarcophagus and no spider built its home around it. It was easy to assume that grave robbers had despoiled the tomb as shown by the missing seal. That wasn't the case.

Lining the base of the walls of the tomb were more coffins. Smaller, less decorated ones that served as containers for the emperor's attendants. All of them were empty. Among the flickering shadows, one could hear the steady shuffling of things wandering the tomb. The smell of half-rotten flesh mixed with the pungent scent of preservative spices as it permeated the tomb. The animate bodies of the emperor's servants, many of them mummified, guarded the tomb from all intruders. They also maintained the place, as if still serving their long dead master. They replaced the torches and they cleaned up the resulting bloody mess when they caught someone inside the tomb. Besides the horrific dead servants there were more monstrous things that resided in the tomb.

First were the ises, the same serpentine demons that Osiris repelled during his lifetime. Named after the empress that forced its kind into submission, an isis stretched at least twice as long as a man was tall from its humanoid head to the tip of its serpentine tail. It was vaguely human from its waist and above, resembling a powerfully built woman with short, red hair. Its features were more reptilian than a normal woman's though. It stared through unblinking, serpentine eyes and its mouth contained hollow, needle-like fangs rather than human teeth. Below its waist, it was more demon than anything else. Instead of legs, an isis possessed the powerful tail of an enormous snake. Covered with bright red scales, it bulged with muscle and tell-tale strength. The ises never left the tomb. They guarded it with a savage fury, killing intruders by powerful blows from their arms, their savage bites or by crushing them around their coils.

Then there were the matyrs, small black hounds that scurried about the tomb. They devoured the corpses of those who were killed by the guardians. They were not above attacking living people either. One matyr posed little threat. It bit savagely and with incredible speed but it lacked the strength to bring down humans by itself. A pack, however, could make a quick meal of the same human. Like the ises, they never left the tomb.

The guardians served to repel intruders but their presence also attracted people to the tomb. Hundreds of adventurers came to the largest of the pyramids of Morroc in hopes of testing their might against these things and to pry loose what treasure was left in the tomb. Because of this, the tomb was always a battlefield. Swords glinted against the torchlight and spells crackled through the stale air. The tomb would be littered with the bodies of guardian and adventurer alike, grisly meals for the matyrs to pick at later. When a band was strong enough to push back the guardians, they would soon realize why the sarcophagus had no seal.

The body of Osiris himself, wrapped in the tattered remains of the most precious cloth of his empire, would rise from his sarcophagus and do battle with those who would disturb him. In life, he had trained his body to near martial perfection. a thousand years of death later and his body still retained much of his supernatural speed and power. A blow from Osiris' fist cracked skulls like eggs and broke steel armor like glass. A lone, armed knight, wizard or priest would die in a matter of seconds against it.

But such was Osiris' fame that no adventurer entered his tomb alone. Through numbers, the guardians would be beaten back and even Osiris' body would be destroyed after a great amount of effort. The first time it happened, the elated adventurers who defeated him were soon disappointed upon realizing that no treasure lay in the tomb at all. Their disappointment changed to horror when, after a few days, all the guardians that had been killed were back in place and Osiris rested in his tomb once more, ready to rise and attack at any time. That discovery would have been enough to deter those who followed after them but, while the lure of treasure was no longer there, people still kept coming.

People came to test their strength. To defeat a mummy, an isis or a pack of matyrs was a display of power and to defeat Osiris' mummy itself was even more so. When treasure was not possible, fame made do.

It was for this very reason that Felthan's group waited in the tomb of Osiris. They had pushed back the guardians with a combination of blades, arrows and the occasional spell.

"That mummy sure is taking his time, Felthan! I'm getting sick of wasting my arrows on these ises!"

Felthan removed the tomb's dust from his priestly robes and turned to face his guild mate. "He will come for sure, Arnatel." He answered. "Osiris is always on time for a trashing."

Felthan was the guild master of the famous Hunters of Dead. A powerful priest, he was reputed to have defeated Osiris on numerous occasions. Today would be his fifth time to defeat the great mummy.

Felthan's companions, Arnatel the hunter, Couilpas the knight and Carnath the assassin, often accompanied him each time he ventured into the pyramids. While they did not engage Osiris directly, they made sure that it didn't close in on the priest while he was casting his famous Magnus Exorcismus.

Arnatel, dressed in well-worn leathers and armed with a composite bow as long as he was tall, would pepper the mummy with silver-tipped arrows since silver channeled positive energy, the bane of all undead. He was a veteran hunter, bald, with lines marking his face with signs of age.

Couilpas was Arnatel's younger brother, still in his prime and bearing the steel trappings of knighthood. Also bald, Couilpas would engage Osiris in a head on duel, not to beat it but to keep it distracted while his companions dealt the finishing blows.

Carnath, their guildmate was the representative of the Moroccan Order of Assassins. Dressed in the dark purple cloths of the order and carrying a pair of katar, he was to provide Couilpas with assistance by opportunistic strikes. Most of his features were hidden by the hood he preferred to keep on whether indoors or outdoors.

"Heeeeey! Maybe one of you guys can help me!"

Felthan turned to see who called to them. To the his surprise, a swordsman was running towards their group. Several ises were slithering after him.

Wordlessly, Arnatel and Couilpas swung into action. It was already an easy part of their routine to handle a few of the slithering demons. Arrows flew quickly, the draft of their passage causing the torches within the chamber to flicker. The torchlight also caught the glint of a two-handed sword descending on a female neck, severing a red-haired head from the rest of the demon's body. Moments later, the isis were all dead. Arrows stuck out of two of the carcasses while a third was headless. Couilpas cleaned his sword while Arnatel turned to face the swordsman.

"Swordman, what the hell are you doing in this place?" The hunter asked. "Don't you know where you are?"

The swordsman, a blond, young man probably barely out of his teens, smiled sheepishly while the hunter berated him. His bright, blue eyes had the look of someone who rarely took anything seriously and, to Felthan's annoyance, they did not look cowed at seeing how powerful the person he was talking to was. "Hey, I can handle it!" He answered. "I just want to see Osiris in action!"

Couilpas snorted and sheathed his two-handed sword. He hated observers. They always screamed like children when Osiris made an appearance and then, when Osiris was defeated, they would fawn over him and babble incoherently about how great he was. "Well go home, kid!" He growled. "You won't see him in action as we're going to finish him off as soon as he appears!"

Carnath tapped his foot impatiently as two more of his guild's priests arrived. "Great." He muttered. "Here come reinforcements! Osiris won't last long enough to make things enjoyable!"

The swordsman eyed the assassin and grinned. White teeth seemed to flash in the shadows of the tomb. "You make it sound as if you were going to roll over him easily." He told the man. "Don't be so cocky, assassin. I hear Osiris is going be a bit different this time."

Felthan turned away from the swordsman. He had had it with the kid's smug attitude. What was wrong with swordsmen these days? They acted as if they could match a knight already! "Stop wasting our time, kid." He told the boy. "Leave Osiris to the professionals. I suggest you stick to things you can handle. Thief bugs, for example, or porings if they're too much for you."

Arnatel guffawed at Felthan's remark. That was an insult. Thief bugs were hardly more than overgrown cockroaches that scurried around the sewers near the city of Izlude and other places where garbage was plenty. They were not hostile but they inflicted painful bites when disturbed. Porings were nothing more than sentient blobs of pink vegetation. Children attacked them for practice as they advanced to more difficult enemies as part of their training.

"That's right, kid!" The hunter laughed "Maybe Couilpas can assist you if you're still having trouble!"

The swordsman shrugged his shoulders and grinned. It was as if the insults just bounced right off him. "Maybe." He replied. "But I'll stick around nonetheless, hunter. Unless you're afraid of failing in front of a kid like me, that is. Maybe I could help you with something easier then!"

Arnatel's eyes narrowed in annoyance. Nothing annoyed him more than a kid who thought he was something. He had half a mind to just beat the hells out of the kid right now. "Big talk, swordsman." He lowered his voice with the threat. "Maybe you'd like to say more to me inside the arena."

The swordsman sat on the floor and stared at the darkened tomb of Osiris. Satisfied that the swordsman had been properly cowed, Felthan readied his Magnus Exorcismus. It was only a matter of time now.

There was a sudden, momentary silence inside the tomb as Osiris rose from his resting place. At the same time, the ceremonial mummies that served as his personal bodyguards, as well as even more ises appeared inside the tomb. The punget smell of old, preservative spices wafted towards the group as the undead advanced.

Wrinkling his nose from the smell, Arnatel raised his bow while Couilpas and Carnath moved in to engage Osiris. Felthan and the two other priests began to chant the necessary prayers for a Magnus Exorcismus. It was a well-tested plan, once the multiple Magnus Exorcismuses hit, it would be all over for Osiris.

The knight and the assassin began slicing their way through the mob of enemies. Arnatel peppered Osiris with arrows as the mummy got caught in his ankle snare. Rising above the hisses and groans was the steady chanting of prayers from the trio of priests. Suddenly, brilliant, white light flared from the ground underneath the mummy. Several explosions occurred, causing the walls the shake and momentarily blinding those within them. Moments later, the great mummy and all of his minions were dead once again.

"Well, that was pretty routinely." Couilpas looked smugly at the seated swordsman as he stood over the fallen mummy and kicked the crown off. Osiris was getting too easy. It wasn't surprising as the Hunters of Dead were the best at defeating the undead and their ilk. "Let's go, Felthan. This thing won't rise again for at least a week."

The members of the guild started to walk away. Arnatel smirked at the swordsman who had remained grinning in amusement throughout the battle. "Different alright." He told the boy. "He's more pathetic than ever."

The swordsman pointed at the fallen mummy. "What are you talking about, hunter?" He replied. "This fight's just beginning!"

The Hunters of Dead turned around just in time to watch Osiris rise.

It was an impossible sight; it was almost as if Osiris had shrugged off all the attacks they had made earlier. Powerful muscles rippled against the now-tightly wrapped bandages of his form. Red eyes flared from his sockets while his fists clenched and unclenched. What further unnerved the guild was when the great mummy spoke.

"Who…dares?"

The voice was regal, deep and powerful. It carried an air of authority, as if the voice alone expected that it was to be obeyed. The walls of the chamber trembled. It had been more than a thousand years since the voice of Morroc's greatest emperor resounded within them.

Couilpas tried to draw his sword but Osiris noticed him and, in a split second, the mummy was standing before the knight, fists ready to strike. Couilpas raised his sword to defend himself but Osiris was moving too fast. Compared to the mummy, the knight seemed to be standing still. A bandaged fist smashed past Couilpas's guard and straight into his face. The knight flew several feet backward at the force of the blow. His neck cracked audibly as it was thrown back by the force.

Carnath dashed at Osiris with his katars raised. Osiris spun about and raised his foot. A bandaged heel struck Carnath's cheek and spun his head about. Moments later he was flying in the same direction as Couilpas's. The assassin crashed to the stone floor. The look of surprise never leaving his face.

Arnatel turned to face the swordsman incredulously. "What in blazes is going on here?" He demanded. "Osiris shouldn't be that powerful! We've already calculated his fighting capabilities and-!"

The swordsman smiled wickedly. "-and what? Thought you could beat him?" He finished the hunter's words. "Right! Listen to me, hunter. Osiris is among the few immortals in Rune-Midgard that I can actually respect. It would take more than some pathetic guild to take him out!"

Arnatel stared at the swordsman. All of a sudden, this particular swordsman seemed too familiar. The shadows seemed to dance around the swordsman. Perhaps it was because of the flickering torchlight but something in his smile made it appear as if the darkness danced just for him. 'Geffen…something about Geffen-' He thought.

All of a sudden, Osiris turned towards Arnatel. He had just snapped the necks of the other two priests. Couilpas and Carnath were not moving. Arnatel knew instinctively that they were both dead.

"Keep shooting it, Arnatel!" Felthan shouted and then frantically chanted a Magnus Exorcismus while the panicked hunter unleashed a stream of arrows at Osiris. The arrows flew everywhere but none of them found its mark. The spell was barely halfway ready when Osiris closed in on Arnatel. The hunter cried out in panic and fell to his knees. The mummy loomed over him menacingly, his fists rising for a killing strike.

'Oh, God, no! What the hells is happening? Arnatel shouldn't be letting Osiris that close! Why did Carnath and Couilpas get themselves killed?' Felthan's mind raced as he watched as the mummy smashed his fists against Arnatel's skull. Shattered bits of bone flew from the strike and the hunter fell to the stone floor, dead. Half of his skull was missing. The spell was almost ready when Osiris turned to face the priest. 'You're too late, Osiris! Almost ready-!'

Felthan prepared to unleash the Magnus Exorcismus. Only, Osiris wasn't in front of him anymore.

Felthan slowly turned to see what was behind him.

Red eyes glowed in the shadowy illumination of Osiris' tomb. A regal-looking mummy towered before a faltering priest. Around them were the bodies of a hunter, a knight, an assassin and two priests. In the background, a swordsman looked on. Osiris grabbed Felthan by the robes and stared into the priest's fearful eyes.

"I don't know what's going on." The mummy spoke. "It's been nearly a millennium since I've known what's going on...but let me send you to the next world with this message, priest. Perhaps your spirit will relay it to your kind. Magnus Exorcismus is a powerful spell, but remember this. Count on me to destroy you before you can ever hope to finish it in my presence."

Osiris' fist came up with such force that it snapped the priest's head clean off the body. Felthan's decapitated form crashed to the ground while Osiris turned to face the sound of someone clapping.

"Good job!" The swordsman spoke. "It looks like you're nice and awake now, Osiris!" His nose wrinkling in disgust, the swordsman stood up and stepped over the hunter's body. "Looks like we have a lot to discuss, pal, our awakening is the start of something big in Rune-Midgard. I'd better fill you in before we start."

Osiris stared at his fists and then at the impudent swordsman. Awakening? He did feel as if he had come from a long sleep. But what did this awakening entail? "Untold ages of sleeping does not help my memory." He answered. "Yet you are a familiar sight, being. You're not a swordsman that's for sure."

The swordsman smiled and bowed mockingly. His appearance suddenly became shadowy and his eyes turned into pools of darkness. While he still vaguely resembled a swordsman, it was now all too obvious that he wasn't. "Introductions of course." He replied. "Still, I had thought that you'd remember me at least, Osiris. I certainly remember you."

Osiris' eyes narrowed. He was starting to remember. "You are-"

The swordsman's smiled widened. "The doppelganger at your service but enough about this, Osiris." He answered. "I suggest we start moving. We're merely a part of this whole thing you know? And believe you me, it's going to be something Rune-Midgard has never seen before!"

It would have been a strange sight. The great emperor Osiris was walking behind a lowly swordsman inside the pyramids but there was no one to witness it. The doppelganger had killed anyone who could have. The citizens of Morroc would eventually discover the bodies, or what was left of them once the matyrs were finished. By then, the two immortals would be gone. The monsters of Rune-Midgard began to stir as the skies darkened above the city of Morroc. In a rare moment in its climate, a storm was coming. Indeed, for the whole of Rune-Midgard.


	3. First encounter

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 1: First encounter**

Morroc was a city known for its unfriendliness. Situated at the center of the Sograt Desert, its very environs encouraged it. It was known as a breeding ground for thieves, assassins and rogues; people who would slit someone's throat for small change. As a morrocan saying went, when the sun's light grows hateful, people turn to the shadows for survival. The sun was indeed hateful here. It beat down the dark-skinned morrocans and as they went about and baked the stones of their houses until eggs could fry on them.

Besides unfriendliness, Morroc was also a city of dull, harsh existence. The buildings were the same stone blocks as the houses, varying only in size. Around them remained broken relics of the city's past, testaments to a time when Morroc was the capital of the greatest empire on Rune-Midgard. Broken statues of past emperors and war heroes adorned the main square. They were stripped of anything remotely valuable but no one took them down completely, as if their presence provided the ruined city some glimpses of better days. Besides the monuments, there were also the pyramids, towering structures built more than a thousand years ago for Morroc's greatest emperor. Instead of inspiring hope, however, their reminder only served to make the present look even worse.

The harshness of the land seeped into the people as surely as its sands crept into everything. Kindness was as rare as water, though not as prized. There was no aid for the unfortunate here. Like vultures, the people of Morroc looked on the downfallen only as potential gain, although the beings that circled these unfortunates sported daggers instead of talons.

The sweltering heat made it "unprofitable" to expend any effort that did not result in instant zenny. The countless, shady eyes of the desert city look for only one thing, opportunity. This was the reason why no one looked that seriously at the two figures walking towards the local tavern. Opportunity often presented itself in the form of novices who had somehow gained a lot of zenny, spoiled children of rich people who proudly toted their expensive equipment and lone merchants who were too stingy to even hire bodyguards. Heavily-armored crusaders and knights represented the hated authority of Prontera so they often spelled trouble, hardly opportunity.

'I hate this place.' The thought came to Eliarainne Sialsanderin while she grasped her lance with cool familiarity. Atop her pecopeco, Bristle, she rode slowly along one of Morroc's main streets, in plain sight of the citizens. While she rode in full armor and armed herself to face down a squad of soldiers, nothing made her more agitated than the angry stares of countless thieves that were focused on her and her companion, Makaelthos Solcry. She knew that many of these people hated her on principle alone. They were morrocans and she was pronteran. A fight was inevitable but the way they skirted around her like scavengers made her restless. She wanted to yell at them to get it over with or go away though caution prevailed.

"You're being too nervous, Eliarainne." Makaelthos said as he looked over his shoulder and straight at the mounted knight behind him. He had advised his partner earlier to appear less hostile to the people but she had scoffed at the notion. She would not hide her knighthood before people who cannot even face an opponent directly, she said.

As a result, Eliarainne presented an imposing figure to the morrocan crowds. She was wearing a simple elunium helm, an unadorned dome of metal around her head with a full face guard and a visor to hide most of her facial features, instead of her usual bone helm. The horns that jutted out of the sides of a bone helm would have told everyone that she was not just a knight but a knight commander.

Makaelthos shook his head at the attention they were getting, though. They were supposed to be investigators for this mission but attention would scare potential information away. Moroccans disliked anything military and everything about Eliarainne was that. Even a child could tell, from the heavy elunium plates covering her entire body and the two-headed eagle adorning the blue tabard over her armor, what her affiliation was.

Sharper eyes looked past the metal and through her visor. She kept her golden brown hair short, allowing it to fall to the sides of her face. Her hazel eyes looked about suspiciously, matching the stare of any thief. Fair hair and brightly colored eyes were far removed from the dark-haired, dark-eyed moroccans. Her pale, unblemished skin marked her as pronteran as it contrasted against the darker skin of the desert-dwelling people.

Makaelthos kept his saber sheathed beside him. While he was not careless, he did not believe in needless, visible caution. It only told people around him that he was insecure about his surroundings.

He could feel Eliarainne's disapproving stare on his back. While his heavier-looking, broad-shouldered plate armor should have made him more imposing, the way he walked indicated that he was perfectly at home in the desert city.

The calm expression seldom left his face while his green eyes did not look about suspiciously like hers did. He did not wear his helm to help put people at ease. People simply talked more freely with a person who did not hide his face within a cage of metal. His tanned skin made him blend in easier as well. Wavy, dark brown hair often fell across his eyes and the nape of his neck. He had a "boyish" look about him, clean-cut, smooth-skinned and a combination of delicate, seemingly-chiseled features which often helped in putting people at ease. He was born here in Morroc and, even though he had left it for Prontera, its mark on him was plain to see. The only things suspicious about him were the design of his armor, marking him as a crusader, the pronteran tabard over his armor, and a cloaked, hooded person who walked beside him.

"And you're being too relaxed, Makaelthos." Eliarainne grumbled before dismounting. "I don't like the way these people keep staring at us."

Makaelthos pushed the tavern's doors open. The bar's patrons looked no different than the people outside. He took note of the visible thieves with their brown overcoats and openly displayed knives. They were nothing special. They did not have any colored armbands, meaning that they were not part of any guild. He shifted his gaze to the less obvious patrons. There were only a few. A man smoking a pipe by one shadowy corner got his attention. He was all too familiar with the colors of this man's armband. Black and purple signified only one guild.

The hooded figure that walked beside him moved closer to his side. A soft, feminine voice, both cautious and respectful, resounded in his mind. 'I sense that your presence here is unwelcome, Master Makaelthos.' It spoke. 'I can see several people fingering their knives in the shadows.'

There was only one voice that could sound inside the crusader's head. Makaelthos glanced at his hooded companion and replied in his thoughts. 'I can understand why, Khaesilya. These people resent Prontera's authority and nothing reminds them of that more than the presence of a pronteran knight or crusader.'

Makaelthos positioned himself as far away from the local patrons as possible before taking a seat. He was not here for a fight.

Yesterday, a report was filed to the pronteran regular army that several prominent members of the "Hunters of Dead" guild had vanished during a routine trip to the pyramids. In response, Grand Knight Commander Quai Hune assigned the investigation to the First Knight Division, Prontera's finest cavalier unit. While dealing with disappearances was not the norm for the First Knight Division, the nature of the case and the good chance that they would have to enter the pyramids made it a military matter.

Dealing with the undead populated pyramids meant that the division's crusader specialist, Lightbearer Sir Makaelthos Solcry would take part. The division's commander, First Knight Commander Eliarainne Sialsanderin, had volunteered to come with him. Not surprising as the relatively peaceful months had her restless. She was his partner for missions like this anyway.

Makaelthos listened closely to the discussions around him. Most of the patrons were thieves; their discussions were, as always, hushed and shady; often laced with all sorts of euphemisms and misleading terms. A pair of thieves could sound as if they were discussing the price of bread while planning their next crime. Eliarainne tied Bristle outside the tavern before joining him while Khaesilya remained standing beside the crusader as if waiting to serve him.

Eliarainne eyed the patrons suspiciously. She was particularly wary of the assassin who was sitting in the corner while smoking his pipe as well as the several thieves that sat close to him. He had yet to stop staring at them. There was something familiar about the black and purple armbands they wore. "I don't think we can get a lot of information in this place, Makaelthos." She told her partner. "I doubt it if a priest like Felthan would hang out with people like this."

Makaelthos gestured for Khaesilya to sit beside him. Now was not the time to make him look like someone rich enough to own servants. Thieves were known to take risks if they knew that the prize was great. "Maybe not Felthan." He replied. "But one of his companions, the assassin called Carnath. Besides, this was the same bar were they met right before heading for the pyramids if we can believe our informants."

Eliarainne watched as a swordsman and a tall, hooded figure in a heavy cloak entered the tavern. The patrons eyed him with more interest and she knew why. "An easier target." She muttered dryly. "So this is what this bar is all about eh?"

The swordsman, a blond, young man, smirked at the staring crowd and sat with his companion. Obviously insulted by the confident attitude, several thieves began to mutter angrily among themselves. The cloaked figure stared at the bar while Eliarainne tried to get a better look at his face. There was something in the way that the man carried himself. It was an unconscious yet superior attitude in his walk as if he disdained being in such a disreputable place. Though she could not discern any facial expression on the man, she did notice the bandages that dangled outside the cloak. 'Badly wounded, is he?' She thought. 'He must have been to the pyramids lately. Maybe he knows what happened to the Hunters of Dead.' She turned to look at her partner. Judging by the look on the crusader's face, she guessed that he was thinking of the same thing. He was probably the first to figure it out anyway. Makaelthos was the quicker thinker in their partnership.

"I'll have a talk with those two." Makaelthos whispered. You and Khaesilya keep watching that assassin friend of ours in the corner." He stood up and started to walk towards the cloaked figure when a thief approached the swordsman.

"Hey, buddy." The thief spoke. "Your friend doesn't look too good to me and my pals there. We know this acolyte fella who can fix him right up. We'll be glad to show you to him, for a fee of course."

Makaelthos frowned at the thief's words. He knew how it would go, there would be no acolyte waiting for these two. The thieves were likely to lead them to some back alley, mug them, and then leave them for dead. The swordsman grinned and stared at the thief. His companion stuck his bandaged hands into his pockets and spoke. "I have no need of healing, sir, so leave me alone."

Makaelthos strained to hear the words. There was something strange about the voice. It was dry and extremely deep, an almost inhuman voice if he had ever heard one but it had a sort of regal quality to it. The voice of a natural leader if he could assume such things from voice alone.

Khaesilya began to shake slightly as soon as she heard the voice. Eliarainne watched her with concern. "Khaesilya, what's wrong?" she asked.

Khaesilya shook even more as she stared at the swordsman and his cloaked companion. Her eyes widened in fear and realization. "It is him!" She suddenly spoke. "The once-great emperor! It's-!"

The cloaked figure turned to face Khaesilya. Red eyes glowed from the depths of his hood as he rose to his feet. Makaelthos drew his sword and stood protectively in front of his companions. The thieves inside the room drew their knives, it was the perfect opportunity to blindside the swordsman and his companion take their stuff and sidle out of the bar while the knight and the crusader were busy with the assassin.

"The time has not yet come for the world to realize my presence, sohee!" The figure boomed. "You must not speak of me here, not yet!"

The swordsman stood up as well as Eliarainne grabbed her halberd. Khaesilya removed her hood revealing long, black hair, pale skin and vivid, red eyes. Her hair was carefully groomed and arranged in a classical payonese style, with her long sideburns tied off at the end while the rest were neatly arranged into a pair of buns on top of her head. Her features marked her nature as a sohee, a race of female, water demons that dwelled within the caves of Payon. They had a reputation for stabbing people dead and were often recognizable by their dark hair and red eyes. The sohee's presence raised alarmed shouts inside the bar.

"It's a sohee! Get her!" Someone shouted. The barkeep dove beneath the bar and clutched his head protectively. The thieves, sensing opportunity, jumped after the swordsman instead. The blond, young man grinned and drew the broadsword strapped to his back. The cloaked figure continued to stare at Khaesilya, who drew a stiletto from the sleeves of her robe. The bar's patrons surrounded her.

Eliarainne pointed the halberd at the crowd as the assassin took a step forward. The other thieves stared warily at the well-sharpened blade of the weapon and edged towards the back exits. No one in their right mind would want such a weapon swinging towards them and this knight looked like she would do so without any hesitation."You know quite well that this sohee means you no harm! Stand down already!" She commanded.

The assassin spat his pipe out, grinned and continued to advance. "You misjudge us." He answered. His tone deep and husky from too much smoke. "We know it's a tame sohee. Sohee slaves cost a fortune in the open market these days."

The bar's patrons stared at Khaesilya greedily, almost hungrily. The sohee's value alone was enough reason to make them want her but there other perverse reasons for them as well. This sohee was a fine example of her race. Her comely looks and the sharp contrast between her dark hair and extremely pale skin made her very attractive. She was a demon but that was something that nobody really minded anyway. Especially in the dark.

The tension inside the bar snapped when a thief screamed before dropping dead on the floor. The swordsman shrugged his shoulders and grinned as he held the bloody broadsword.

Makaelthos turned towards the swordsman, his sword raised. "Morroc law prohibits murder, swordsman! Put down your weapon and surrender!"

The swordsman laughed and sheathed his sword. With one more challenging glance at Makaelthos he turned to face his cloaked companion. The bandaged figure glanced at the thieves disdainfully. He did not draw a weapon nor did it look like he had one in the first place. It seemed as if he regarded everyone in the bar as beneath him.

"Looks like you've started quite a fuss here." The swordsman said to his companion. "We'd better go."

The cloaked figure stared at Khaesilya one last time before walking away. Makaelthos started to follow them when Khaesilya pulled at his cape. "Do not chase them, Master Makaelthos! We cannot hope to destroy the both of them at once!"

Makaelthos looked at Khaesilya questioningly. Every instinct told him to chase after the murdering swordsman and his strange companion but the sohee was shaking badly; it was obvious that the knowledge of who those two were was frightening her.

"What did you realize about them, Khaesilya? Do you know who they are?" He asked.

Khaesilya stared at the assassin as Eliarainne blocked his path towards her. The sohee's telepathic reply was silent, as if she was afraid someone might still overhear despite the purely mental action she was taking. 'It was the once-great, warrior emperor…Osiris.' She thought. 'And with him walks the terror of Geffenia, the doppelganger. If those two are involved then perhaps we have just found out what had happened to The Hunters of Dead.'

Makaelthos's eyes narrowed. It seemed as if a routine investigation to them was about to become much more complicated.

* * *

**World notes**

**Lightbearer **- a crusader who has trained under the Order of Light, sub order of the Church's Order of Crusaders. Lightbearers focus on complementing their physical prowess with spell casting ability. They are able healers but their strongest abilities come from offensive use of holy power. They are able to channel holy power through their blades to burn their opponents as they cut them, creating blasts of light that may potentially blind them or channel holy power directly into the ground, creating a powerful cross-shaped explosion of holy light known as a grand cross.

In-game explanation - Lightbearers are simply crusaders with either a careful balance of INT and STR or even pure INT crusaders. They focus on Holy cross and Grand Cross, taking points in Heal for support.

**Cavalier** - "Cavalier" is a term used for knights who specialize in mounted combat and pole arms. The are excellent riders and are known for their heavy armor and large weapons. Cavaliers form the spearhead of any attack made by the pronteran regular army. It is their role to directly engage the enemy main force and hold them so the rest of the army can perform their roles. While mounted they are armed with lances, using the heavy weapon with one hand and protecting themselves with a shield on the other. On foot they wield halberds with both hands. They are also armed with a couple of javelins which they throw with deadly accuracy, to deal with enemies from a range.

In-game explanation - Cavaliers are VIT knights with skills in all spear-based skills.


	4. Dark roots

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 2: Dark roots**

The fight inside the tavern was short-lived. Noticing the exceptionally high ceiling, Eliarainne gave a sharp whistle. With a squawk and a flurry of feathers, Bristle burst through the free swinging doors, taking his place by her side. She took to the saddle with one swift movement, her lance already couched for a killing blow. She had not really tied the bird as she knew that trouble could come around at any time. Most of the tavern's patrons didn't want to mess with a mounted knight, let alone one that was accompanied by a heavily-armored crusader and a dangerous-looking sohee. Within moments the bar was empty save for the lone assassin who decided to stay.

Makaelthos watched the assassin carefully. Black and purple on the man's armband made him frown. "You're outnumbered. Leave at once." He told the man tentatively. He wasn't surprised when he wasn't obeyed, though. The sight of a lance pointed at him could not make this man go away, let alone a crusader's words.

The assassin kept his katars up and smirked. "I know who you are, "Lightbearer" Makaelthos Solcry." He spat the "Lightbearer" out as if it was a bad taste in his mouth. "A dozen tamed sohees wouldn't equal the value of you being dead!"

Makaelthos's eyes narrowed. The gesture alone told Eliarainne that the matter was taking a personal turn for him. Her partner hated it when his duties took a personal turn. "You and your guild need not be involved here. If you attack me or my companions, I will kill you." There was no menace in Makaelthos's tone, even when he mentioned killing the man.

The assassin lowered his weapons, though the smug expression on his face never left. "The guild is always involved, Solcry, wherever you are, we have business there!" He replied.

Eliarainne turned to face her partner. She knew that Makaelthos used to be involved with one of the guilds here in Morroc. It was not something that he talked about. He was extremely secretive of his past, especially if it involved his relationships before. "What's this lout talking about? What guild?"

Makaelthos shook his head. "Matters long past not to be concerned with. Focus on the mission, Eliarainne."

The tavern doors suddenly swung open behind the crusader. "Oh, I think you should concern yourself over it, Makaelthos. Especially since we can provide you with what you want." Someone said.

Makaelthos did not bother turning to face who spoke behind him. He was all too familiar with the smooth, low-pitched voice that addressed him. Familiar enough to know that this person would not suddenly stab him from behind."Trynis Eviskrae." He spoke the name quietly, almost breathing it out. "I always hope never to see you again."

Keeping her lance pointed at the assassin in front of her, Eliarainne glanced back to study the new arrivals. The one called Trynis was a lithe, young woman with long, wavy, white hair that reached up to her waist. While white was an unusual hair color for the dark-haired morrocans, her tanned complexion showed that she was, at least, part morrocan. She wore the garb of a rogue proudly; the normally red overcoat was black and trimmed with the white fur of a sasquatch, giving the coat a black and silver combination. She carried no weapon but Eliarainne knew that was for appearance's sake only, there was something cold, hard and sharp hiding beneath this rogue's harmless guise.

Behind Trynis were three more assassins, all belonging to the same guild, judging by their armbands. They were grim-faced and still, profit did not interest these assassins, at least not as performing as their leader commanded them to do was. Eliarainne gripped her lance tightly even when Trynis raised her hand to signal her men to lower their weapons. While the assassins obeyed, they continued to stare balefully at Makaelthos. There was no doubt in her mind that should this Trynis lose control over her men, they would murder the two of them without hesitation. Not that she would let herself be murdered without a fight nor that Trynis's expression hinted anything that made it appear that she did not have full control of her men.

"And I always hope for the opposite, Makaelthos. Nevertheless, we didn't come for a fight. In fact, as hard as you might find it to believe, we're actually willing to work with the pronteran government this time." Trynis replied, her lips curving into a smile.

Makaelthos raised an eyebrow. The guild had certainly changed after he left it. Back then, whenever the name of the pronteran government was spoken, it was always followed by a curse and a spit on the ground. "Then you know what happened to the Hunters of Dead?" He asked. He refused to deviate from his mission simply because of some history between him and some of the people involved.

Trynis brushed a stray lock of white hair from her eyes and gestured for Makaelthos to follow. The assassins, after one last look at Khaesilya, disappeared.

* * *

Half an hour later, Makaelthos found himself sitting inside his former guild house. Eliarainne did not take her hands of her halberd. She distrusted thieves and she certainly distrusted rogues and assassins even more. What made the situation even more dangerous was that they were in the thieves' home territory. She followed Makaelthos, knowing that her partner would not let himself be led anywhere he could not find his way back from but she herself was completely lost. They followed some twisting paths towards the outskirts of the town until they entered a surprisingly hidden mansion. The inside was an utter maze of dimly lit hallways and rooms. It had some of the richest furnishings she had ever seen, exotic furs and expensive wood seemed to be the norm. It was not pointlessly opulent but it made it quite clear that this was the home of a powerful and rich guild leader. Makaelthos had whispered earlier that the mansion belonged to Trynis and the dim, flickering light that the lamps around them provided seemed to emphasize the shadows instead of illuminating them; a perfect home for the mistress of a powerful thieves' guild indeed. Khaesilya kept behind her master at all times; watching the crusader's back in case the thieves around them decided to strike.

"It's been a long time hasn't it, Makaelthos?" Trynis watched the crusader shrewdly as she reclined in a luxurious sofa that was made of assorted furs. She did not bother hiding that she was appraising him from head to toe. He did not seem bothered. After all, he was used to being constantly watched.

"Not long enough." He answered. "So tell me of the Hunters of Dead."

Trynis shrugged her shoulders. "What's to tell? They're dead. It happens to a lot of people who go up against Osiris."

Makaelthos wasn't surprised. His guess had been right. The guild was destroyed while hunting for the mummy of the emperor, Osiris. It was obvious, though. It was the only reason why they met Osiris earlier. "Surely there's more to that, Trynis. Why don't you elaborate?"

Trynis turned to stare at Eliarainne. She interested in what sort of company her former right hand now kept. The knight stared back, a mixture of suspicion and defiance on her face. Trynis smiled. Makaelthos's auburn-haired companion was a battle-tested knight. Unlike some of those prancing maidens in armor she was used to, this knight seemed the type who spent more time cleaning and inspecting her weapons and armor rather than primping in front of a mirror. "Did I mention that the doppelganger was with Osiris?" She continued. "Apparently not, but judging by the look on your face, this is old news. So question really, is what are Osiris and the doppelganger doing wandering around Morroc?"

Makaelthos quelled a half-smile as some memories came to him. "Your information network is as fast and accurate as ever." He said. "You already now my real question, so can you tell me the answer?"

Trynis smiled at the compliment. "No one really knows how a mummified emperor thinks or what goes through the doppelganger's head. I can tell you this though, Makaelthos. This isn't the only incident regarding such things. Do you know of that whole abysmal knight incident just north of this town?"

Makaelthos frowned at that one. One of his friends was deeply involved in that incident and the resulting tragedy still hung over him and Eliarainne like a dark shroud. "I have." He answered. "Reports stated that a party of priests and wizards were slain by a troop of abysmal knights. What of it?"

Trynis leaned closer when she answered, trying to gauge Makaelthos's reaction. "Whoever heard of such a thing as a "troop of abysmal knights"? And why so far from Glastheim where they're usually encountered?"

Makaelthos nodded but looked questioningly at Trynis. Eliarainne was about to say something but she decided against it. 'Let Makaelthos handle the negotiations. It looks like he's on familiar ground here.' She thought.

Khaesilya shuddered at the mention of a troop of abysmal knights. Trynis quickly noted the reaction from the sohee.

"What does that have to do with Osiris and the doppelganger?" Makaelthos asked.

The rogue's expression suddenly became serious. "Your reports didn't include the fact that those abysmal knights were riding under the banner of the Lord of Death. Think of what will happen if an organized troop of those things decided to attack your precious Prontera!"

Makaelthos's expression darkened. It was unlikely that even a troop of abysmal knights could break through the mighty walls of the capital. Still the threat of such powerful monsters working as a cohesive unit was not to be ignored. "And your point is what?" He pressed on.

Trynis watched the crusader with interest. Makaelthos had changed since he left her guild. His long, wavy, dark brown hair was once simply allowed to fall around his face, now he had apparently taken to combing it, giving him a "formal" look. As for his eyes, the crusader's sharp green eyes used to convey nothing but carefree joy and amused cunning during his swordsman days with her. Now they reflected only somber discipline. Concern for vague, abstract things like honor and duty likely ran through his mind now on a daily basis. She could barely see her childhood friend underneath all the formality and impassiveness that he wore like a mask. "My point is that whatever is happening here in Morroc is probably happening everywhere in Rune-Midgard. It has obviously happened in Geffen; why else would the doppelganger be here? The Lord of Death is clearly leading the abysmal knights. Who knows what else could be happening? The Hunters of Dead were nothing more but victims to Osiris and the doppelganger. The same goes with that priest party to the north. Something big is happening in Rune-Midgard, Makaelthos. I suggest that your government start doing something about it."

Makaelthos rose from his seat. "I thank you for your cooperation, Trynis. I have to report to my superiors about this whole matter. I'll keep your words in mind." Was all he answered.

Trynis smiled as the knight and the sohee left with Makaelthos. "You call them superiors, Mak. But do you really believe them to be "your" superiors?" She called after him.

Makaelthos did not answer. He did not like the rogue's use of his nickname. No one in Prontera would ever call him "Mak". Eliarainne let out a sigh of relief as soon as they left the guild house. "A sinister woman if I ever saw one." She breathed out. "So how do you know her, Makaelthos?"

Makaelthos walked beside Bristle, a measure of melancholy already creeping into his voice. "She was my former guild mistress back when I was a swordsman. I suppose her guild never forgave me for betraying them by joining Prontera's crusaders."

Eliarainne was silent for a while. The rogue's words brought up another topic that she was always reluctant to discuss. "Do you really think the Lord of Death is behind Lystra's death?" She asked tentatively.

Makaelthos remembered Lystra. She was the sister of their priestess companion, Silmeia Cafilence. Lystra was a newly ordained priestess under the Order of Mercy at that time when her party had been ambushed by abysmal knights, if the reports could be believed. A lone abysmal knight would have been too much for the surprised party of newly-ordained priests and wizards, let alone eight of them. Silmeia was devastated when she learned that her sister had been killed. Within days, the radiant became prone to moods of dark depression and even darker brooding that marred her usually calm and cheerful attitude. He decided not to tell her of the Lord of Death's involvement yet. Silmeia was often calmer than Eliarainne but she was still distraught after her sister's death. Her grief could cause her to act irrationally. She might even decide to go after the silver-armored monster all by herself. "I used to rely on Trynis's information all the time." He answered. "I doubt it if she'll lie to us. Osiris is NightKnife's problem just as surely as he is the Prontera's. Still, it would be better if we didn't tell Silmeia yet."

Eliarainne nodded. While Silmeia was among the calmest of her friends, she also knew the priestess long enough to have seen what happened when she did get angry and nothing made Silmeia angrier now than the thought of the abysmal knights.

Khaesilya shuddered once more. Makaelthos turned to see to his sohee companion. "Is something wrong, Khaesilya?" He asked.

The sohee looked back to the town of Morroc. The desert city was surrounded by storm clouds, it would be prudent for them to leave town before a storm hits. If that happened they would be stranded in Morroc for a few days. Desert storms were rare but extremely powerful. Besides, as investigators for the pronteran regular army, Makaelthos and Eliarainne had to make their report as soon as possible.

"The once-great warrior emperor's presence must be a sign, Master Makaelthos. I fear for our safety here in the desert when he and the doppelganger are probably walking it as well." She answered.

Makaelthos turned his attention northward before replying. "I understand your concern, Khaesilya. But what I fear more is for the safety of Prontera. And it is for that reason why we must move on."

* * *

**World notes**

**Order of Mercy** - A sub order of the Church's priestly order. Members of this order focus wholly on the mental exercises that will increase their ability to cast healing spells. They are unrivaled in terms of mental reserves and can cast their healing spells over and over to aid others. As an expense of such focus they are not as physically trained as other priests and they do not have the mental or physical dexterity to cast their spells quickly. Members of this order are called Mercy bringers. They are best suited in non-combat situations as they do not have the physical prowess of their brethren in the Order of Radiance. They are also slower when it comes to spell casting.

In game explanation: Mercy bringers are Full support priests/priestesses.

**Radiant **- A radiant is a priest/priestess who has trained under the Order of Radiance, a sub order of the Church's priestly orders. Members of this order focus more on the offensive applications of holy power. They are fierce enemies of demons and undead, capable of firing quick, successive blasts of holy light and magnifying the effects of their spells with Lex Aeterna, a spell that covers an enemy with holy light and undermines its defenses. Radiants are most famous for their ability to call forth a Magnus Exorcismus, the Church's strongest offensive spell, in the heat of battle. They balance their focus between mental exercises and physical ones. While they do not have a mercy bringer's raw healing power, they make up for it by being more mobile in battle and being able to cast their spells quickly and while under pressure.

In game explanation: Radiants are ME priests/priestesses.


	5. A meeting of cruel fates

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 3: A Meeting of Cruel Fates**

'There are few sights more glorious than Prontera.'

The thought always came to Silmeia's mind every time she looked at her home city. Prontera was the capital city of Rune-Midgard, as well as the bastion of law and security through out the land. From its beautiful monuments to its seemingly impregnable walls, the capital was considered by many to be the best place to reside throughout Rune-Midgard. She thought so too, she had seen enough to know it wasn't perfect but life anywhere else would not be as good. Still, she sometimes found the bustling city to be a bit too…stressful. This was the main reason why she often walked outside the city all by herself. She found the silence of the wilderness relaxing compared to the noisy hubbub of Prontera. All sorts of adventurers would be selling their wares in the streets; guild leaders would be fighting for territory, merchants trying to outdo each other in their businesses. She pushed these things from her thoughts. Right now all she wanted was to see was one thing.

The woods behind Prontera castle were somehow darker to Silmeia. Dark, perhaps, because her memories made it so. For underneath the trees, her own sister, Lystra, lay buried. She stood over her younger sister's grave. Lystra was just a fledgling priestess, barely out of acolyte duty. She was on her way to the pyramids when her party was ambushed by eight abysmal knights. Silmeia closed her eyes; they didn't stand a chance. An abysmal knight was a being of armored darkness that rode from someone's worst nightmares. Only the most powerful attacks had any hope of hurting it and it took so much hurting before one of them fell. She cursed the abysmal knights. Foul, mindless suits of dark armor they were. Hateful things from the madness that was Glastheim. She also blamed herself for not being there when it happened. Her friend, Makaelthos Solcry, would say that even she could not stop eight abysmal knights from claiming the life of her sister. Still, she knew that she could have at least done something. She could have slowed them down. As a radiant, she had enough power to knock them back with blasts of holy power, enough to give them pause while Lystra escaped. She would have given her own life in the process if she had too. A sudden rustling of leaves interrupted Silmeia's thoughts. There was someone else in the grove. Quickly, she readied her defensive spells. She wasn't taking any chances. All sorts of incidents had been occurring around Prontera. Bands of marauding orcs leaving their territory to ambush people, argiopes found among fabres slaying hapless novices. Indeed nearly all the creatures throughout Rune-Midgard seemed to be acting strange. She slowly approached the bushes when she noticed an outstretched arm. Alarmed, she parted the bushes to investigate.

It was a knight; at least he looked like one. The man was tall, nearly seven feet in height as far as Silmeia could tell. His armor was made of black metal and was ruined in several places. The marks on his armor appeared to have been made by a giant sword. The knight suddenly opened his eyes, catching a glimpse of her kneeling figure. "A priestess…is it fate?" He gasped out.

Before Silmeia could react, the knight closed his eyes again in a swoon. 'A knight…what could have happened to him? His armor certainly isn't the standard plate for a Pronteran knight.' she thought. Before she could assess the man further, the sound of leaves crunching and branches being pushed out of the way brought her up to her feet. Several men were running towards her.

"We've been looking for you, Second Head Priestess Cafilence!" one of the men called out to her. There were three of them, a knight and two swordsmen. She recognized the knight as Cavalier Althamas Kadrezyll, the second-in-command of Eliarainne's division. The other two must be apprentices from the same division. She cut them off before they could explain why, gesturing towards the fallen man.

"Never mind that, help me get this knight somewhere safe!" she answered. In response, Althamas gestured to his swordsmen companions, who lifted the unconscious, black-armored knight and started to carry him away. It was not an easy task, though. The swordsmen heaved and grunted in their efforts. Their burden was quite heavy.

"Ma'am, the Autumn Tournament is about to begin. Skirmisher Gardzen Haelungrein requests your presence." Cavalier Althamas spoke with marked respect. He was not just talking to any radiant, he was talking to the commander of the regular army's Second Priest Division. The division of priests directly responsible for the healing and blessing of the soldiers in the First Knight Division.

Silmeia stared at the injured knight and managed a smile. Without even knowing it, the black-armored knight had just done her a big favor. "Tell Sir Gardzen that I must tend to this man's injuries so I'll have to pass on the tournament." she told Althamas. She sighed inwardly. The black armored-knight's arrival was timely. She hated attending tournaments. They were nothing more than occasions where some of the pompous knights like Skirmisher Gardzen could strut about trying to impress people. Her brow furrowed slightly. 'Especially me, I suppose.' she thought. She knew of Gardzen's interest in her. She was not interested in return. She did not like the way he conducted himself, always bullying the swordsmen while calling it "discipline" and swaggering about the lady knights in the interests of "camaraderie". An incident involving Gardzen and her friend, Eliarainne Sialsanderin, widened the smile she had. She doubted it if he could ride his pecopeco in an upright position after that.

"I will inform him at once, ma'am." Cavalier Althamas answered. He hoisted the injured knight onto his pecopeco's back before heading back to Prontera. Silmeia took one last glance at her sister's grave before going back to the city. The injured knight shifted slightly in the saddle, adding some sadness in her smile, Rune-Midgard had become so dangerous these days.

A slight wind blew across the forest before Silmeia left. For a moment the priestess could have sworn she heard the sound of a horse's neigh. Her knight escort heard the sound too and looked around. The two swordsmen cringed at it. True horses had long since been extinct on Rune-Midgard, knights had adapted to the use of a pecopeco for a mount. The only horses that were left were nightmares, the flaming, horse-shaped specters that roamed the lower levels of ancient Geffenia, or the massive, black horses that carried abysmal knights in battle. Slowly the neigh faded into the wind and the priestess and her escorts entered the city.

* * *

Silmeia's decline of his invitation did not sit in well with Skirmisher Gardzen. The big knight made it clear when he smashed his claymore straight into his unlucky opponent's shield. The force of the attack knocked the younger knight to the ground, his arms still ringing from the powerful blow. Several acolytes immediately rushed to heal his injuries, signaling that the duel was over. 'An emergency? What kind of fool would stop her from watching my prowess? No doubt, some fool knight who couldn't handle a few lousy argoses!' he fumed.

Gardzen crushed one knight after another, easily winning the on-foot part of the tournament. He did not participate in the jousts as he was no cavalier and did not do well fighting on top of a pecopeco. Still he was angry; the trophy was meaningless if the beautiful priestess, Silmeia, was not there to watch him win it. He would have to "speak" to this fool knight about strength later on.

On the audience stands, few men wondered why Gardzen Haelungrein was so upset despite winning the tournament. Everyone knew of his lust for Radiant Silmeia, which was not strange to most of the men in Prontera. After all, she was among the most beautiful of Prontera's priestesses. Her long, silky, black hair, which reached up to her upper back made them think of night skies or some other poetic setting. Her dark brown eyes often seemed black from a distance, they were deep and possessed some qualities that intensified her emotions. Like most pronterans her skin was pale, contrasting her hair; it was unmarred by any scar or blemish, combining with a small mouth to give her a delicate look. She was no frail beauty though. She was a soldier, the head of the famed Second Priest Division in Prontera. She was known to fight side by side with mighty knights like First Knight Commander Sialsanderin, who was also her good friend. The combination of physical beauty, fighting spirit and a pleasing personality enchanted a lot of people so she drew a lot of admirers. She was clearly not interested in such things, though, and no one really wanted to confess their feelings because a rejection from her would be devastating.

To everyone except Gardzen that is. He was bold enough to "inform" the priestess of his desire for her. His blunt proposal met an equally blunt refusal. Naturally it drew a lot of snickers from behind him so he decided to "prove" himself to her with shows of might such as winning tournaments and bullying weaker knights. The latter activity was stopped when the First Knight Commander challenged him to a duel in the arena and promptly trashed him. After that, he had settled for tournaments as it was well known that Eliarainne disdained joining them. So up to the present he was still "proving" himself, though Silmeia never noticed during those rare occasions when she was watching a tournament.

* * *

Silmeia watched the black-armored knight sleeping on the bed in the infirmary. She had been surprised earlier that it took nearly all of her mental reserves to close the knight's wounds. She wondered just how strong he was to survive such a beating and how dangerous his opponent was to have given it to him. She also pondered that no one could remove the knight's armor. It was a good thing he was not wearing a helmet though, she would have found it impossible to heal someone whose skin she could not touch. The knight opened his eyes, revealing dark irises. Silmeia frowned in puzzlement; everything about the man was black; his hair, eyes and armor. His pale skin meant that he was utterly devoid of color. The knight swiftly noticed her presence.

"Priestess…you did not finish me?" he asked; confusion making him look about in a daze. The knight looked extremely bewildered. He did not rise from his bed though.

"Finish you? I am a priestess, Sir knight, not an executioner." Silmeia answered, She smiled in amusement. Perhaps the knight was still addled from his injuries.

"I…nevermind." was all he could say.

Silmeia watched the tall knight closely. There was something odd about this man. "Can you tell me your name?" she asked.

The knight closed his eyes, as if trying to remember. "Agranias." he replied. "I am an…I mean…a knight."

Silmeia laughed softly. Agranias looked at her and tried to muster a smile. "Do I…amuse you?" he asked.

Silmeia watched Agranias with a great deal of amusement this time. "I can see that you're a knight, Sir Agranias." she replied. "The metal around your body tells me that quite clearly. By the way my name is Silmeia, a priestess of course. But surely you knew that already."

Agranias looked at his black armor and tried to sit up. "I suppose…I do." he said.

Silmeia's expression became serious. "So tell me what happened, Sir Agranias. How did you get so injured so near Prontera?" she asked. The time for pleasantries was over. She was worried about the reasons why this person was injured so near the capital. Anything she could find out now would be helpful once she consulted with Makaelthos and Eliarainne.

Agranias's expression darkened as he spoke in a low voice. He could not look directly into Silmeia's dark brown eyes when he responded. "I was…attacked by my fellow knights."

Silmeia gasped in surprise. "That's awful! Why would they do that?" she asked.

Agranias tried to stand and winced painfully. Silmeia helped the knight sit down on his bed. "I disobeyed our commander." he answered as if he had done something completely terrible, or, at least, something he would have never done if he could help it. " He ordered the rest of the troop to kill me."

Silmeia's eyes narrowed. She could not imagine what sort of brutal knight commander would execute his subordinates and leave them for dead in a forest. "Tell me of your troop, Sir Agranias, and why your actions merited your death." she told him. It was no request, this was serious now. Perhaps he was part of a small company of rogue knights, people who obtained knighthood from Prontera but refused to perform their duties.

Agranias looked around the room as if searching for something. His hands fingered the empty sheath strapped to his side. Silmeia noticed his discomfort.

"Your sword is not here, Sir Agranias." she told him. "You must have lost it somewhere, I had some of the acolytes to search for it and they couldn't find any."

Agranias's eyes suddenly stopped to gaze on a portrait of Lystra and Silmeia. An admiring artist had agreed to paint it and the rest of the acolytes insisted on hanging it in the infirmary in honor of their hardest working healers. "That priestess!" he suddenly gasped. "Is she-?"

Silmeia frowned slightly. She hadn't expected this reaction. "She is my sister, Lystra, you knew her?"

Agranias's eyes widened in realization for a moment before he quickly concealed his expression. "No…though she seems familiar somehow."

Silmeia smiled and let it go for now as she studied Sir Agranias. To her, the black-armored knight seemed so…unused to having a conversation. He stumbled on his words and he seemed so worried of what he was going to say next. He noticed her stare and shifted uncomfortably. He was obviously unused to such attention from someone. She was curious about his comment on her sister. Could he have known her? Perhaps he was a surviving member of Lystra's party, though the reports failed to mention a knight. Perhaps he could remember what happened at that time, though why he tried to hide it was beyond her. "My sister-" she began.

Agranias looked at the portrait and turned hesitantly to Silmeia.

"What was her name?" Agranias suddenly interrupted her with the question.

Silmeia's expression saddened and the smile disappeared from her lips. "Lystra." she answered. "She's dead though."

Agranias's eyes suddenly filled with intense regret. Something Silmeia definitely found strange. "I'm sorry." he said.

Silmeia cleared her mind of her sister's memories. Now was not the time to mourn. She had spent so much grief on her loss already. The time for sadness was over, all she wanted was some measure of vengeance; an assurance that Lystra's loss was not in vain. "There is no need, Sir Agranias. Please tell me of your troop." she told him.

Agranias hesitated some more. Silmeia saw clearly that he didn't want to reveal something about himself. She took the moment to study him. The knight was definitely tall, with broad shoulders and a powerfully built body to match. His long, black hair was swept back and tied in a pony tail which reached all the way to the middle of his back. His face possessed some delicate features, as if carefully chiseled from marble, though the scar running down the left side of his face was clearly a mark of a warrior. By the time Sir Agranias decided to speak, he was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Silmeia let out a sigh. She was not expecting any visitors so it could only be one man. Sure enough, one of Silmeia's acolytes came rushing towards her. "Second Head Priestess, it is Skirmisher Gardzen. He asks to see you at once and he-" Before the acolyte could finish, Skirmisher Gardzen entered the room.

"Silmeia, I demand to-! Who the hell are you?" Gardzen bellowed the question out as his gaze focused on Agranias. Silmeia grit her teeth in frustration and braced for the worst.

* * *

**World notes**

**Skirmisher **- Skirmishers are knights who are trained to fight in much lighter armor as to be more mobile than cavaliers. Instead of a lance and a shield, they carry massive two-handed swords. It is their role in the army to plunge into the holes that the cavaliers create in the enemy's lines and attack the soldiers in the enemy army's rear. They lack the protective abilities of cavaliers but they make up for it with sheer offensive power. They can move quickly through enemy ranks, cutting them down before reinforcements from the front can reach them. It is their job to ensure that the enemy army's archers and spell casters are killed before they do much harm. Due to the nature of their role, they also work with the rare rogue or assassin who has joined the regular army.

In game explanation: Skirmishers are AGI-based knights with skills in Two-hand quicken and the like.


	6. The storm begins

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 4: The storm begins**

The towering spires of Prontera castle were a welcome sight to Eliarainne. She was glad to leave Morroc once her mission was complete. The scorching air of the desert made her throat hurt and the sand had crept underneath her armor, making it quite uncomfortable. Makaelthos, on the other hand, seemed too busy being lost in thought to notice that they were nearing their destination. "Makaelthos." She called him. The crusader did not seem to hear his name being mentioned as he kept walking "Makaelthos!" she called him louder.

Makaelthos looked up."What is it?" He asked.

Eliarainne hid a smile at her partner's distraction. Makaelthos was usually the alert one in their partnership. "We're supposed to be off duty tomorrow. What are you planning to do then?" She asked him.

Makaelthos shrugged his shoulders. "In truth, I have reports to make to the Church" He replied. "And that's if we can sort through this business with the Hunters of Dead in one day, which I doubt we can. Rest will likely be postponed until after we finish this."

Eliarainne sighed a bit. Her partner's devotion to his duties as well as his initiative to go beyond them never failed to impress her but the incoming work was disheartening. She loathed desk work and papers; never considering them a part of a knight's duties. She was trained to fight, not to sit and write. She never did have Makaelthos's patience for paperwork and analysis so she left most of those duties to her second, Althamas. "You're going to burn yourself out." She told him.

Makaelthos shrugged his shoulders once more before entering Prontera. Eliarainne let the subject drop. She was about to enter the barracks when she heard a familiar voice ranting inside the infirmary.

"You worthless knight, how dare you waste Silmeia's time by getting yourself injured? During MY tournament of all times! I'm sick of you prancing, pretty boys wasting the time of this city's priests!" Someone shouted.

The bellowing was too familiar enough for Eliarainne to put a palm to her forehead in frustration. 'Gardzen…picking on some knight I suppose. Sounds like Silmeia could use my help.' She thought. Eliarainne entered the infirmary to find Sir Gardzen berating a strange-looking knight in black armor. Silmeia was struggling to make herself heard over Gardzen's shouting. The black-armored knight seemed unsure of how to react to the other knight's yelling.

Gardzen quickly noticed Eliarainne's presence. "You again!" He roared. "I haven't paid you back since last time, Sialsanderin!"

Eliarainne's eyes hardened momentarily. She did not need Makaelthos's patience to deal with people like Skirmisher Gardzen Haelungrein. "You can try to "pay me back" all you want in the arena, Haelungrein!" She yelled back; matching the skirmisher's voice with her own. "I'll take whatever challenge you're willing to hand me if it means driving an armored boot down that annoying mouth of yours! For the meantime, I don't think my friend appreciates you yelling at her patient right in front of her, so I suggest you leave!"

Sir Gardzen paled slightly and backed off. He had yet to recover from his last fight with Eliarainne. While he knew his capacity as an arena fighter, he also knew well enough to never again challenge the Knight Commander of Prontera's First Knight Division. Eliarainne was still undefeated in the arena after all. "Fine, I'll leave for now…but this isn't over, black boy!" He focused his yelling on someone who was not likely to trounce him. The black knight was big but he didn't retaliate when pushed. Gardzen glared at the black-armored knight one more time before storming out of the room.

Silmeia breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks again, Rainne." She said. "I didn't know how long I could have lasted before I warped him somewhere he could cool off. The bottom of Byalan Island."

Eliarainne smiled as she looked at her friend. She had missed the priestess's humor on her journey to Morroc, indeed, that humor was absent most of the time these days. Her smile lessened, though, as she remembered Makaelthos's words.

"_It would be better, though, if we didn't tell Silmeia yet…"_

The knight shook her head and cleared the thought. It wasn't like her to dwell on such dark things. She shifted her attention to the black-armored knight behind the priestess. "So who's today's patient, Sil? I haven't seen him before." She asked.

Silmeia looked puzzled as she stared at the knight in concern. Throughout Gardzen's constant yelling Sir Agranias did not even as much as flinch. "I was hoping you could tell me that, Rainne. He seems hesitant reveal much about himself."

Eliarainne studied the knight carefully. She did not know of any Knight Division in Prontera that required its members to wear black. The man was clearly not a pronteran knight and rogue knights did not form highly cohesive units. Their stubborn refusal to submit to any authority was the main reason why they did not join the regular army in the first place. "So tell me, Sir knight, are you a cavalier or a skirmisher?" The black-armored knight stared at Eliarainne blankly. Silmeia gave a knowing look at her companion. Eliarainne knew it as the "told you so…" look. She tried another approach. "Would you tell me your name, Sir?"

The black-armored knight responded quickly this time. "Agranias." He answered.

Eliarainne extended a hand. "Well met then, Sir Agranias. May I ask where you came from and how you ended up here?" Agranias hesitated once more before relating his story. Eliarainne became even more puzzled. Though she was a strict disciplinarian, she found the idea of on-the-spot executions to be too draconian to consider. She then looked at Silmeia. "You found him near Lystra's grave? How did he get there without being spotted by the patrols?"

Silmeia's expression grew serious when she answered. "I don't know. The northern patrols haven't reported yet. Cavalier Althamas is getting worried as well."

Eliarainne pondered for a while. There were a lot of questions to ask Sir Agranias. He tried to speak, immediately calling the attention of the two. "If your patrol encountered my former companions then it is most likely that they have been slain. My former commander would see to that."

Eliarainne's eyes narrowed. A typical pronteran patrol was made up of four knights and eight swordsmen. To slay them without giving them a chance to alert the other patrols meant a powerful and disciplined unit. "What! How would you know, Sir Agranias? Just who exactly is your commander?"

Agranias avoided Eliarainne's stare. It was obvious that he did not want to say anything more. Eliarainne was about to press the matter before she was interrupted by Sir Althamas. "First Knight Commander! It's an emergency! You must come quickly!"

Eliarainne turned to face her second. "What is it?"

Althamas's voice trembled, as if he had seen something truly frightening. "Our southern patrols have reported spotting the Lord of Death! It's heading towards the city gates along with seven abysmal knights!"

Eliarainne glanced at Silmeia who immediately understood. In a moment the two were making their way towards the city gates. The Lord of Death alone would cause a city-wide panic, let alone the Lord of Death with a retinue of seven abysmal knights.

* * *

Makaelthos Solcry was already by the city gates when the patrol spotted the Lord of Death. He watched from the lookout post as the ominous, silver-armored being made its way towards Prontera. The white horse that it rode was armored as well. It's mane was white flame; burning through the gaps in the metal plates that covered its head and neck. Its hooves caused the ground to tremble with each step. Behind the Lord of Death rode seven dark-armored knights, each one of them stood at least seven feet tall without including the enormous, black horses they rode on. Makaelthos glanced behind him, several squads from the different knight divisions were already assembling behind the gates, including two squads from Eliarainne's First Knight Division. He gripped his sword tightly, surely a hundred and twenty knights can handle the Lord of Death and its retinue. Besides they also had back up from Silmeia's Second Priest Division as well as the Second Wizard Division. 'Twenty priests and wizards for support. I suppose that would be enough.' He thought. Makaelthos's eyes widened in surprise as he watched the Lord of Death, the silver-armored being was carrying the flag of a truce! He raised his hand as several hunter-sentries pointed their bows at the Lord of Death. "It's asking for a truce! We'll have to see what it wants!" He called out to the lookouts.

One of the hunters stared incredulously at the Lord of Death. "A truce? But that's the Lord of Death, Sir Makaelthos!"

Makaelthos's expression grew grim as he watched the Lord of Death. This was truly an unnatural sight. It also proved Trynis's speculations. The once-animalistic immortals had begun to act with sentience and purpose. "We must honor it, sentry. The rules of war must be obeyed."

The Lord of Death stopped in front of the gates and looked directly at Makaelthos. To everyone's surprise, the silver-armored being suddenly spoke. "Open thy gates for us, crusader. We wish only to speak to thy people." Some of the sentries cringed at the sound of the Lord of Death's voice. It was cold, deep and strangely metallic. It reminded them of iron fillings sliding down an iron pipe. There was no trace of emotion in the voice.

"Open the gates, sentry." Makaelthos ordered. He watched as the sentries hesitantly raised the gates. The Lord of Death nodded once at him and rode inside Prontera. The abysmal knights followed suit. The crusader hurried down from the lookout's post. He had to hear what the Lord of Death wanted to say to the people of Prontera.

* * *

Eliarainne Sialsanderin watched as Prontera's citizens scattered all around her. Behind her walked Silmeia as well as Agranias. He had insisted on following them. It wasn't long until she noticed the ominous figures of The Lord of Death and his retinue. "What the hell-!" She exclaimed. "What was Makaelthos thinking by letting the Lord of Death enter the city?"

Silmeia's eyes narrowed in silent fury. A seething compared to Eliarainne's outburst. "Prontera commands at least thirteen knight divisions inside the city alone." She said. "That's, at least, four hundred knights not counting that we also have several divisions of priests, wizards and hunters. I doubt even the Lord of Death can survive a full onslaught from our forces. Nonetheless…" Eliarainne glanced warily at her priestess companion. Silmeia's hatred of abysmal knights was well-known among her friends. Lystra's untimely demise had definitely made it worse. The knight had to strain to hear the priestess words. "...give me some measure of personal vengeance."

The Lord of Death had made its way to Prontera's main square, facing it were a hundred and twenty mounted knights along with forty wizards and forty priests. While most of the citizenry had fled to their homes, a few of the braver ones remained to watch. Makaelthos stood by his place near the First Knight Division, he knew that even with the advantage of numbers and home ground, the Lord of Death's power would turn the battle into a bloody affair. Eliarainne took her place at the head of the First Knight Division while Silmeia moved among the members of the Second Priest Division. She seethed silently as the Lord of Death scanned the vast array of fighting men and women. Though she espoused peace and healing as any priestess would regardless of order, Silmeia found herself wishing that the Lord of Death would cease this pretense of a truce and start fighting. What could a heartless killing machine know of a truce anyway? 'If Lystra cannot be saved, then let her be avenged instead.' Was all she could think about.

Several priests stared warily at Silmeia. It was already common knowledge among Prontera's priesthood that she lost her younger sister to abysmal knights. It was also common knowledge that she was among the most powerful of Prontera's radiants. While she was not notorious for her temper like First Knight Commander Sialsanderin, every priest or priestess knew that she could only be pushed so far before something disastrous happened. The Second Priest Division suddenly shifted its attention from its lead priestess to the object of her fury. The Lord of Death began to speak.

"Hear me…thee who fight for Prontera. I, the one thou calls "Lord of Death" offer thee this one chance to live. I give thee the chance to serve under me in the coming war and make no mistake, war is coming. Fight under my banner and live, oppose me and thine city shall fall."

Eliarainne grit her teeth in fury. The Lord of Death's offer was outrageous! No one would take his offer! Makaelthos's eyes narrowed in serious thought. While he would not dream of serving under the Lord of Death, he was curious about the immortal's words. What war was he talking about? And why did he bother trying to gain Prontera's forces? Silmeia trembled as she stared hatefully at the Lord of Death, serve it? Serve the being that commanded those who caused her sister's death? Holy energy threatened to explode from her palms. She clenched her fists. It was all she could do to stop herself from unleashing her fury at the wrong time.

The Lord of Death surveyed the assembled forces before it. "Give me thy answer, Prontera. Time is definitely against thee…" It spoke again.

A voice rose above the silence of Prontera's army. Makaelthos turned to see who it was.

"We refuse your ridiculous offer, Lord of Death. Leave our city at once!"

Eliarainne concealed a smile as she saw who had spoken. 'What do you know…? King Aelthorius can stand for his kingdom if pushed.' She thought.

The Lord of Death stared at the king of Prontera and turned around. It was as if it disdained talking to a boyish-looking man who looked as if he was barely old enough to shave. Suddenly it focused its gaze at one member of the staring crowd.

Eliarainne tried to follow the Lord of Death's gaze. 'Wait a minute, is that-?'

Sir Agranias stared defiantly back at the Lord of Death before the immortal turned to leave. Eliarainne could hear practically everyone breathing a sigh of relief. She turned to watch her partner, Makaelthos.

As Eliarainne expected, he had the look of someone who knew that things were about to get worse.

* * *

**World notes**

**Pronteran army divisions** - A pronteran knight division has a core group of thirty to forty knights with Cavalier divisions having more than skirmishers. Besides its knights, a division has a force of swordsmen at a ratio of three swordsmen per knight. In army maneuvers, these swordsmen function as basic infantry regardless of whether the division is a cavalier or skirmisher one. A division is led by the Knight Commander and his/her second-in-command. He/she is advised by a crusader, usually a lightbearer, on matters regarding Church activities or when dealing with demons or undead. The lightbearer also provides healing for the Knight Commander, to make sure a division is not rendered leaderless in combat.

A priest division has a core group of twenty five to thirty five priests. Most are mercy bringers to serve as healers for their assigned divisions although a few radiants are included to aid against demons or undead or to provide some measure of offensive spell casting. Besides its priests, a division has a force of acolytes at a ratio of two per priest. A priest division is led by its Head Priest/Priestess, who directs which healer goes where and how many must be sent and a second-in-command. He/she is guarded by a knight or a crusader who protects the Head Priest/Priestess to ensure that the Priest Division is not rendered leaderless in combat.


	7. Gathering strife

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 5: Gathering Strife**

"So how do we go about beating the others, Osiris?" the doppelganger asked. "To tell the truth, I was kind of hoping that you'll do most of the planning; you being used to leadership and all." As he said this, the doppelganger smiled cheerfully and waved at the passing novices, who smiled and waved back in return. It could have been a perfectly harmless situation, a swordsman taking a break in the outskirts of Geffen. The events at Prontera had yet to reach the city of magic. Mage apprentices were still rushing about trying to compete for the different solutions that would fully induct them to full magehood and apprenticeship with the academy. The more inexperienced novices went about in groups while the wizards kept busy with debates on magical theory and research. No one would have thought that the doppelganger walked among them and this was how he liked it.

It was Osiris's brooding figure that somehow contrasted with the peaceful atmosphere. Wrapped in a heavy cloak that effectively hid his identity, he seemed more interested in what lay past Geffen. The doppelganger could guess why. Geffen was also known for its close proximity to Glastheim. Osiris turned to ask his whimsical companion. "You awakened here, didn't you? What do you know of those who inhabit Glastheim?"

The doppelganger grew serious for a moment. For a while, the shadows beneath the tree he sat under seemed to quiver around him as if to reflect a more serious mood. "I did some spying near Glastheim before I visited your place." he replied. "What I found there is the reason I decided to seek an alliance with you."

The red lights in Osiris's eye sockets flashed momentarily. He had guessed correctly on why the doppelganger needed allies. Not all immortals were equal after all. Some were simply stronger than the others so the lesser ones had to counter by allying with others. "Baphomet." he spoke the name.

The doppelganger nodded. The hulking figure of the goat-demon was the first immortal he had encountered in Glastheim. Though he wanted to have a match at that point, confidence only got him so far when he noticed the presence of Baphomet's ally. "And the Dark Lord too. They've formed their own alliance. They tried to get the Lord of Death to join them too but the tin can's too prideful to work with anyone." he added.

Osiris continued to stare at Glastheim's direction. It was instinctive how he could tell how long had it been since he had been asleep. It was almost two thousand years since he ruled Morroc as emperor. That time was not enough for him to forget the Dark Lord. Baphomet was a hulking monstrosity, a mighty goat-demon whose scythe cut through the living as if they were standing wheat. The Lord of Death was a tower of unforgiving metal with steel in both hands and an iron-clad heart that understood only organized hate to guide them. But the Dark Lord was responsible for the existence of the two. He lurked in their shadows, wielding deviously malevolent plans in one hand and devastating magical power in the other. That made him the most dangerous of them all. "They make a powerful combination." he said. "Even without the Lord of Death, they are a force to be reckoned with. We will need a way to even the odds, what do you know of the other immortals?"

The doppelganger shrugged his shoulders. The shadows around him receded in time as several more novices went past him. "I heard some rumors here and there." he answered. "My appearance does have its pros. Drake has taken his ship out of the bottom of that sea he was in. I hear everyone in Alberta is in a panic. The Lord of Death made an appearance in Prontera and tried to take control of the city. He failed of course. The orc tribes are preparing for war too, with the Orc Hero and the Orc Lord pushing them on. I doubt the Pronteran colony there stands a chance. Al de baran's clock tower has mysteriously locked down. No one gets in or out and there are also rumors that the Stormy knight has completely vanished. Then again so did the doppelganger and Osiris, eh?"

Osiris watched as more people passed them. The novices skirted around the path to avoid coming closer to them. He wondered if it was from his imposing appearance or the sense of unnaturalness that the doppelganger occasionally exuded. "The Lord of Death has the right idea." he said. "The mortals of Rune-Midgard can be powerful tools for the upcoming battle. Still, he is too arrogant to gain from them. Drake is making a mistake by causing panic like that. He will bring down unnecessary attention down on himself; a perfect opportunity to eliminate him early." He spoke more to himself but the doppelganger joined in anyway.

The doppelganger stood up and stretched. He rubbed his palms in anticipation. "So we're going after Drake first?" he asked. "Old pirate boy won't know what hit him! Not like he did when you knocked him to the bottom of the sea back at Glastheim! Besides no one would suspect a swordsman trying to become a hero by himself by permanently defeating the terrible pirate captain."

Osiris wrapped the cloak tightly around him. It wasn't because he was cold; his undead body felt neither heat nor cold. It was to make sure that no one noticed the bandages again. "Let's go then." he said. "The others will probably get the same idea."

The doppelganger walked beside Osiris. The plan was simple but effective. He would destroy Drake and share the pirate captain's power with Osiris; without much difficulty too. 'The mortals' admiration would be an added bonus too, all the more to make it easier to manipulate them.' He thought. And he would enjoy the manipulation too. Mortals were so amusing.

Several mages stared as the doppelganger and Osiris passed by. Few dared to walk in small groups these days now that Rune-Midgard's monsters were acting strangely. But, from afar, there were those who saw past the fake smile that the doppelganger wore like a mask. Osiris's eyes narrowed, though he could not make certain, he knew that he was already being monitored by a hated enemy.

* * *

In his main chamber, deep within the ruins of Glastheim's cathedral, the skeletal figure of the Dark lord watched as Osiris and the doppelganger made their way to Alberta. 'A good strategy, Osiris.' he thought. 'Eliminate the isolated ones first before attacking the more powerful alliances. I suppose even an ignorant soldier like you can think of a plan like that.' the Dark Lord gloated mentally.

Osiris wasn't the only one that he viewed magically; Drake, the Lord of Death, the orc tribes, Maya and the Mistress, King Aelthorius, the Stormy knight, even his own ally, Baphomet. The only one that the he could not spy on was the Manager of Al de baran's clock tower. He dismissed his scrying spells for the moment. None of his enemies were doing anything besides minor preparations and plans. As he expected, his alliance with Baphomet had given him an unassailable position for the earlier part of the war.

A scream, a human scream, interrupted his thoughts. His hollow eye sockets flared with red light; a reflection of his irritation. 'Another one…does that goat not tire of them?' he thought. The Dark Lord watched from a hidden window as the small, horned, knife-wielding demons, all of them resembling small, upright goats, that patrolled Glastheim dragged another wizard from his hiding place. The two points of red light that served as his eyes flickered momentarily. Baphomet had taken to amusing himself by torturing these intruders. The goat-demon apparently relied on power alone to destroy everything. He wasn't as careless. Ages of undeath and study had taught him that preparation was the key to win a battle and the he intended to win the greatest battle of them all.

* * *

Baphomet stared malevolently at the newly captured wizard. He grinned; baring the inside of his mouth, relishing the fear that his appearance evoked as well as the knowledge that the sight of the rows of fangs in his mouth terrified his victim even more. His eyes narrowed in disappointment, though. A wizard would barely sate his sadism; they took only minimal amounts of torture before dying. The last couple of knights were far more amusing; especially the female one; hard and crunchy armor on the outside, soft flesh beneath. Baphomet licked his fangs before shifting his focus back to the terrified wizard. "Bah! You wizards are such poor meals!" he grunted. "Why is Abraxil taking his time? We should be razing Geffen and feasting on its citizens by now!" He turned his back on the wizard, a signal that set his minions into frenzy. A multitude of knives plunged into the helpless wizard's body, spraying guts and blood everywhere. The rust-red fur of the demonic minions were soaked with crimson until they looked completely black. Several of the demons that the mortals called "Baphomet Juniors" sent up a horrible, mewling sound and began to lap up the resulting mess, including off each other. More of them hacked pieces of the body and dragged them away to gnaw on. The goat-demon walked away, humming in tune to the grisly tearing and snapping sounds as his minions feasted on the wizard's carcass. His eyes glittered with malicious anticipation that reflected on the wicked crescent scythe he held with one hand. Soon all of Rune-Midgard will resemble Glastheim's desolation, if not worse.

* * *

Baphomet's annoyance at the Dark Lord's slow planning meant nothing to the rage that burned underneath the Lord of Death's helm. It rode back to his waiting army along with the abysmal knights. Prontera's defiance was infuriating but the it had expected such a thing. It gestured for one of its retinue. The abysmal knights rode in formation head of it with three to either side and one riding ahead. The central rider bowed in response. "**Aelumina, lead an attack on one of Prontera's patrols. Destroy anyone you encounters but leave at least one survivor. Show them what it means to cross the Lord of Death. Take three squads of raydrics with you, two of swordsmen and one of archers."**

The abysmal knight saluted and rode off. The Lord of Death surveyed its army of raydrics and khalitzburgs. They had moved from Glastheim to the further reaches of the Sograt Desert to set up a base camp and to avoid the Dark Lord and Baphomet's machinations. Patrols of raydrics were quick to slay any witnesses. It would take time before Prontera realized that the Lord of Death had turned the desert into its army camp.

* * *

Aelumina rode at the head of thirty raydrics. She was eager to reach Prontera ever since she had seen the Lord of Death notice the presence of Agranias inside the capital city. 'It would have been better for you to have died by my sword, Agranias.' she thought. 'Now you will be crushed under the heel of our Lord along with these pathetic mortals.' She rode swiftly. There was no need to check if the rest of her troop could follow. A raydric was a mere animated suit of armor equipped with a two-handed sword. It did not tire, it did not think for itself and it certainly did not feel anything. Save for the abysmal knights, who were the paragons of the raydrics, it was the perfect instrument for the Lord of Death's will.

Aelumina quickly spotted a patrol of knights and hunters. 'More fools trying to scout the Sograt desert…these will do.' She signaled for her troop to stop. The raydrics whirred into perfect formation. Not one of them made as much as a clink. She drew her sword and ordered the rest of the raydrics forward. A lone scouting party of four knights and eight swordsmen were hardly a match for thirty raydrics and an abysmal knight. Sure enough, the lead knight had barely shouted a warning to his friends before the raydric archers peppered him with arrows. Before the first body even hit the sands.

Aelumina took the front, swinging her massive, black-bladed sword in a wide arc. The blade struck three of their knights, knocking them from their pecopecos and sending them sprawling to the ground. One of them did not rise; he had fallen badly and broken his neck. The other two drew their swords, their faces already grim with the knowledge that they were all likely to be killed. The swordsmen took the worst of it. Swarmed upon by at least twenty raydrics; they were cut down quickly. One of the knights hacked at her with a large, two-handed sword. She deflected it effortlessly and thrust her own dark blade into his chest. The lead knight, a cavalier, spurred his pecopeco into one last charge against her. She laughed harshly and met the charge. Her massive horse trampled the much smaller pecopeco into the bloody sand. The bird did not even manage a squawk before the horse crushed its neck with a hoof. Her dark sword swung once more; catching the knight on the chest as he pitched forward. The cavalier fell from his dead mount at the force of the blow. His wound was deep and wide but Aelumina quickly surmised that he would make it. She then turned to face the remaining knight and raised her sword. "One survivor as per my Lord's orders…the rest of you will die!" she said.

The knight readied his weapon in grim defiance. The raydrics had slaughtered the rest of his troop and he was surrounded already. He swung his two-handed sword in a wide arc. The abysmal knight laughed harshly and parried it with her massive blade. She let the follow up strike hit her breastplate solidly. The blade simply bounced off the black metal with a loud ringing sound. The knight looked at his weapon incredulously. The blade had cracked from the force of his blow. Before he could recover, she raised her sword and slashed. The knight's head spun on his shoulders for a few seconds before falling off. She then turned to face the one she had injured. "Go!" she ordered him. "Report this to your superiors. Tell them that the Lord of Death will return to their city as a conqueror. Tell your king that he has brought this fate upon himself!" Aelumina rode off. Of her own troop, only four raydrics had been destroyed. They were easily replaced though. The Lord of Death commanded vast armies of the things. She glanced at the towering spires of Prontera city. "Ready yourself, Agranias. Well be coming for you soon enough." She whispered towards the city and the traitorous abysmal knight it sheltered.

* * *

While the Sograt Desert rang with minor skirmishes, the lands of the orc tribes clanged with the sounds of a hundred practice battles. The Orc Hero watched as his tribesmen fought in practice duels. For a chance to avenge themselves for being kept to a small bit of land like penned animals, the greens and the blues had put aside their differences to fight under the banner of their hero. Even the women will find their place at the front line of the orcish war. Within their villages, bestial roars resounded as a different sort of orcs emerged from willing volunteers of strange rituals being performed to strengthen their forces. The air around them was filled with the smoke from the tribe's smithies. Orc craftsmen worked day and night, producing the axes and swords that were the standard weapons of their warriors. Bowyers and fletchers readied hundreds of gakkungs for their archers. Other craftsmen prepared ankle snares and helms. Indeed the orcish villages resounded with the noise of impeding war.

The Orc Hero also watched as his companion, the Orc Lord, directed the goblin and kobold tribes that came to fight with them. His red eyes, bright with ferocity and rage, small and mean like a beast's stared at the milling orcs around him. His skin was a dull green shade and was marked with countless scars and burns. On his head was the ceremonial headdress that marked him as the leader, not just of the orcs but as head of the entire horde that will come down on the humans. He grasped his sword in anticipation and pride. His sword was the symbol of the unbreakable resolve of the orcish people. It was an impressive weapon, curved, incredibly sharp and made of shining steel that did not dim with each battle. The blade was decorated with orcish runes that represented freedom and ferocity, the two traits that the orcs admired the most. Soon the Pronteran colony called "Orcville" would feel the bite of his weapon. The time to attack it was coming soon. The Orc Lord noticed his gaze and walked towards him.

"Hero." the Orc Lord grunted as he approached his fellow immortal. Though they were both immortals, he deferred to the Orc Hero as the leader. He admitted easily that the hero had more vision than he and saw what would be better for the orcs. "I still say that it is enough that we reclaim our ancestral lands, the lands stolen from us by the Moroccan Empire so long ago. We do not need to push into that hornet's nest called Prontera. A greedy hand is a human hand."

The Orc Hero snarled at the idea of being called human. "Mind your tongue, Lord!" he retorted. "It is not greed that pushes my vision past that pile of driftwood the humans call a colony. We will have our vengeance. It is the humans who will know what it is like to have invaders take away your homes. Before the sleep we let the children of Osiris trample us. After a millennium of suffering the orcs will pay everything back!" The Orc Hero raised himself to full height as he spoke to the Orc Lord. He was taller than any orc and this was made more obvious by the short stature of the Orc Lord.

"Your words are fierce, hero, but how many of our warriors lives will fuel your rage?" the Orc Lord replied. Hewas not cowed. It wasn't fear that made him follow the Hero. He was shorter than most orcs but his arms were as wide as the hips of any warrior and his fists resembled nothing more than sharp-edged rocks. He did not press on, however. The orcs needed their leaders united. Perhaps the hero's vision will guide them, even if he couldn't see what the Hero saw.

* * *

Deep within the clock tower, the Manager watched as the citizens of Al de baran went about their daily businesses. It knew of the other immortals' plans and it knew that it would be eventually dragged into the massive war that was about to ensue. It was in no hurry to get involved. Let the immortals slay each other, the Dark Lord and Baphomet will no doubt cause widespread slaughter wherever they start. Osiris and the doppelganger were wild cards, the orc tribes threatened the mortals of Prontera most of all. The other immortals such as the Mistress and Maya, as well as the undead pirate captain known as Drake were concerned only with survival. It had calculated that the first major battle would start at Alberta. Osiris would ensure to that. The Manager continued to stare at Al de baran. Its mechanical sensors noting the defensible places in case an immortal decided to attack the city. It knew that the mortals of Rune-Midgard would be the deciding factor for the war. Though how, the sentient machine wished it knew. The forces of Prontera suffered from intrigues within their own structure. Unless they united as a race, they would be destroyed. Its mechanical voice echoed within the silent and darkened halls of the Clock Tower. "An unavoidable fate perhaps." it said to itself. "How will time move for this world?" The only response was the constant whirring of the gears of the Clock Tower. It reminded the Manager of the ultimate answerer of questions.

Time would tell in the end.

* * *

**World notes**

**The greens and the blues** - refers to the two sub races of orcs. The green-skinned orcs are smaller and more agile, with an affinity for earth. The blue-skinned orcs are larger and stronger, with an affinity for fire. The two subraces are often in conflict, each trying to prove themselves superior. The blues often call themselves "high orcs" as a mark of their superiority. Both sub races have females.

**Raydric squads - **A squad of raydrics has ten members with no assigned leader. They follow orders from abysmal knights or the Lord of Death and will not move unless given commands.


	8. First strike

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 6: First Strike**

'Quiet...simply too quiet.'

That was all Drake could think as he watched Alberta's harbor from his ship. A week had passed since he started terrorizing the harbor with his frequent raids. Most of Alberta's citizens now knew better than to come out of their homes at night for those who did were prey to his crew. There wasn't a night in the past week when a rusty cutlass and a seaweed-covered skeleton wasn't the last thing someone saw. Several squads of pronteran soldiers had already been sent to check what was happening but he was quick to deal with them. He knew it was only a matter of time until Prontera sends a larger force of men. 'Let them come.' he thought defiantly. 'I will destroy anyone who attempts to sink my ship again.'

Drake remembered his last living moments quite clearly as well as the non-living ones. He was aboard his ship, The Ravening Whore, a cutlass in hand and and a rope in the other. The Glastheimian ships had him flanked and knights were already boarding. The main mast was already broken and his crew was being overwhelmed but all that seemed to matter was killing the person in front of him. A crimson-garbed man with fists wrapped in gold. They fought and he had lost. His ship sank with him along with it. A great amount of time had passed. He wasn't sure of specifics. Someone had come and, once more, he was inside his dead body underneath the waves of the Albertan sea. He had been brought back and given a crew of skeletons and ghosts so that he could attack the man who once killed him. He had refused. He was a pirate and no one ordered him about. He brought his ship out of the sea floor and began a new career of terror. Glastheim was no more and the prison city he vowed never to inhabit, Morroc, had become an empire. The last thing he had been doing was evading the ships of Morroc sent and then there was blackness. As if he had fallen asleep.

Now, conscious and still undead, he had no idea why he had awakened. All he knew was that his being conscious gave him more power than before. He did not know or care about the other beings in Rune-Midgard. Perhaps they had also been granted consciousness or perhaps only he received the honor. It did not matter. Alberta was his territory now and no force on Rune-Midgard was going to drive him out.

* * *

"What do you think awaits us in Alberta?" Eliarainne asked as she rode beside her partner. He had been quiet for the duration of their journey. She did not mind it though. She was already used to his silence. She knew that her partner was already thinking of the possibilities of their mission. If any risks were involved or what exactly Grand Knight Commander Quai Hune was hoping they would accomplish. She did not bother with these details. What was important was they finished their mission.

Makaelthos looked back at the knight. Unlike her subdued appearance in Morroc a week ago, Eliarainne was geared to her liking. She wore her bone helm, a large, cumbersome piece of armor that covered almost her entire head save for her face and the front of her neck. It was crafted from a solid piece of elunium with a pair of horns attached to its sides that jutted outward. It included a visor to protect her eyes as well. Though polished to a sheen, the metal showed scratches and nicks from previous battles. The front part her breastplate had a removable extension attached to its collar, a piece of elunium that jutted upward to protect her neck and lower face. It also served to hide most of her facial features. Riding atop Bristle now, there was no mistake about it, she was indeed the commander of one of Prontera's finest knight divisions. "Since we've already lost two squads of knights just trying to investigate the matter, this means that we're dealing with something powerful here." he answered. "We've already suppressed the local criminal guilds in the area so I think it would probably have something to do with this whole "immortal" business. It may be that Drake is on a rampage, though I certainly hope I'm wrong."

Khaesilya walked beside Makaelthos and spoke up. Though most sohees preferred to float behind their masters, Khaesilya seemed to favor walking. She had once expressed that it was because she didn't like the impression she left on some people when they saw her floating about. "I'm afraid that you are mostly likely correct, Master Makaelthos." she said. "The awakening of the immortals will include Drake as well."

Makaelthos concentrated for a while before turning to face the sohee. "What about the other immortals, Khaesilya?" he asked. "How would they react to each other?"

Khaesilya grew more worried as she answered Makaelthos's question. "The immortals have always been striving to slay each other." she said. "They desire to feed on their essences, making them much stronger. The Lord of Death has already made mention of the coming war. I have heard of this war. The immortals will fight each other for one last time, slaying each other until only few are left."

Makaelthos suddenly remembered the cloaked figure with the bandages as well as the murderous grin on his swordsman companion. He also remembered the Lord of Death's visit and the abysmal knights that followed in its wake. A report came a few days ago when the sole survivor of a long range patrol returned to Prontera, along with all the soldiers occupying the pronteran outpost by the Sograt Desert. The Lord of Death had occupied the desert with a vast army of raydrics. One of its abysmal knights had destroyed the patrol, leaving warnings that the capital would be under attack. Realizing that they were going to be wiped out if they stayed, the entire outpost evacuated for the capital. The mind reeled at the thought of hundreds of coordinated raydrics attacking Prontera. War was on the horizon for sure. "So that's why Osiris is working with the doppelganger. They have forged some sort of alliance to slay the other immortals. But how do you know all this, Khaesilya?" he asked.

Khaesilya bowed her head when she replied. "I-I don't recall. It seems I knew this before the silver knife."

Makaelthos dropped the subject after that. There was no point in pursuing it. Sohees forgot most of their lives before they were bound by a silver knife of chastity that made them into slaves. Even after being freed, the memories did not come back.

Eliarainne's eyes widened in realization. "So this Drake also has some sort of ally?" she asked.

Makaelthos continue to think. "Perhaps, but we must slay Drake first. It's the only way we can prevent the other immortals from gaining from his strength." he answered.

Eliarainne nodded in agreement. She had defeated Drake before. Several times, in fact. She still remembered joining up with other parties to venture into the depths of the ruined pirate ship by the coasts of Alberta. She also remembered engaging the skeletal captain in a desperate battle. The immortal's skeletal nature belied the strength in his arms and his cunning fighting style did not show in the hollow sockets of where his eyes should be. Somehow she felt that this fight was going to be different.

"I must say that you're quite the clever one to catch up to the whole situation, crusader." someone said. "I would cast the blame on you having your sohee slave to fill in the blanks."

Makaelthos ordered their troops to stop. Behind them were several squads from Eliarainne's first knight division. "Who's there? Show yourself!" He called out.

Shrill laughter echoed among the trees of the forest just outside Alberta. The other knights looked nervously among the trees.

"Don't strain yourself, I'm here."

Makaelthos's gaze fell upon the figure that suddenly appeared in front of them. He easily recognized the figure's short stature, the bright, yellow fur and the stick that it always carried to make it look like some sort of runaway or a vagabond. Luminous eyes, slit in the middle and seemingly alight with malicious cunning stared back at Makaelthos. Bewhiskered upper lips parted to reveal a pair of fangs. Simply put, the figure looked like a cat that stood on two legs. Its hands were padded and furred like a cat's paw but its fingers were elongated and human-like, tipped with short, curved claws. Makaelthos knew its name almost instinctively. "Moonlight Flower." the named escaped from him.

Moonlight smirked at the troop of knights before him before answering. "And I'm sure you're also familiar with my friend here, crusader." he sneered.

An enormous creature emerged from the trees. While Moonlight resembled a humanoid cat, this one resembled a humanoid tiger. It stood at least twelve feet tall and was covered in striped, orange fur. Makaelthos took note of the creature's incredibly long claws and the smoking pipe that was held by its fang-filled mouth. Powerful muscles rippled across its arms and legs. Its enormous torso was wider than a pair of barrels. "You've allied with Eddga. What's your business here, Moonlight?" he asked.

The cat-creature's paws already sizzled with raw magical energy in the form of blue-white arcs. Moonlight had always been known for his spell casting capabilities. Makaelthos drew his sword, a signal for the rest of the knights to get ready as well.

"Quite simple, really." Moonlight answered. "I cannot allow you to slay Drake first because I'm planning to kill him for myself. So you're all going to have to die here!" He raised his paw and gestured towards the crusader.

The ground shook beneath Makaelthos's feet. As if in a spasm, it heaved and cracked as a portion of it burst upward. A single spike of stone, similar to a stalagmite rose towards him with the speed of a hurled spear. He brought his shield down just in time in response. Stone struck the white elunium plate with a loud bang. The metal was not dented but the force knocked him back a few steps.

With a shout, Eliarainne raise her lance and charged. The knights behind her echoed her war cry and followed suit. 'We'll have to neutralize Moonlight's spell casting first.' she thought. She waved her lance towards Eddga, signaling her men to attack him first while she rode towards Moonlight.

Makaelthos raised his sword and advanced towards Moonlight as well. The cat smiled and raised a paw for another spell. He raised his shield and continued to advance even as numerous bolts of fire streaked towards him. He could feel the heat of Moonlight's spell even as he slashed at the creature. Moonlight nimbly ducked his attack and gestured towards the charging Eliarainne. The ground suddenly heaved underneath the knight before several shards of earth struck her and her mount. Behind the two of them, Eddga was attacking the troop relentlessly. The tiger-creature's claws slashed past the guards of several knights at once. Some had already fallen to Eddga's strength as the creature trampled them. One knight charged in; piercing the creature's incredibly tough hide. Eddga turned to face the knight and swiped at him with his claws. The knight grunted as the claws tore through his armor, raking the flesh beneath. Through it all, the tiger-creature continued to smoke his pipe. Makaelthos raised his sword again, but the flames made it difficult for him to aim.

Eliarainne also continued charging from Moonlight's right, her lance managing to graze the cat's back. Annoyed, Moonlight cast another spell as he ducked another swing from Makaelthos. Several shards of ice followed her as she turned her mount about for another charge. The shards struck her squarely on the chest. She grit her teeth against the numbing pain. Her armor held on after the icy assault even as she charged again.

Moonlight was about to sidestep an attack from the crusader when he caught the familiar glint of a stiletto from the corner of his eye. A sohee suddenly attacked from behind him. The crusader took advantage of his surprise and thrust a saber towards his furred chest. He managed to evade the treacherous sohee's attack at the expense of catching the crusader's thrust to his right side. The knight rode past him, her lance swiping dangerously close to his head. "Enough!" he cried out and raised another paw.

Makaelthos felt a sudden rush of wind above him. Khaesilya looked up as well. Almost immediately, the two realized what was coming. It was too late, though, a powerful blast of icy wind surrounded Moonlight, flinging the two back several feet. Makaelthos was trying to stand against the massive assault of wind and ice when Moonlight cast another spell. Electricity began to build up on the cat's right paw. At first, the blue arcs formed a small sphere the size of a marble. As the electricity built up, the sphere grew hand-sized. The electrical surges grew larger and more violent. Makaelthos recognized a Jupitel Thunder when he saw one. He raised his shield when Moonlight hurled the ball at him. His shield arm shook as the white elunium of his shield met the spell head on. As swift, whispered prayer escaped his lips and a glow seeped out of his hands and into the shield. The spell stopped most of the electricity from surging past the shield, lessening the injuries he would have received.

Eddga grinned as his partner devastated the battlefield. More knights fell before him as he slashed his way through them. Still, he had to respect the power of these knights. They had wounded him several times already though he was far from beaten. Another knight slashed at him with a two-handed sword. He took the blow on his massive, furred chest and brought both his claws down on the knight. Eddga grinned fiercely as the knight fell. Suddenly he was faced with a broad sword-wielding swordsman. "Oh please, a swordsman?" he sneered. "Go home, kid, before I wrench your guts out!" Eddga turned to face the other knights. Out of the twenty knights that he attacked, only eight remained standing. The others were on their knees with injuries while two lay dead on the forest floor. He, on the other hand was barely injured.

It was something the swordsman failed to realize, though. The blond boy suddenly raised his sword in solemn manner. The other knights seemed as baffled as Eddga as the swordsman suddenly spoke in a ridiculously dramatic tone. "I will defeat you in the name of the mighty city of Prontera, Eddga!" he cried out. The swordsman charged; holding his broad sword in a one-handed grip. Before the tiger-beast could react, the blond swordsman slammed into him head on. Eddga swiped at the swordsman with a claw but his enemy was moving incredibly fast. The broadsword flickered from one side and, as Eddga moved to avoid it, it suddenly slashed from another. The blond swordsman suddenly locked his broad sword against Eddga's claws. As they struggled in that spot, the swordsman leaned closer to Eddga and spoke. "Looks like I've pushed you into a corner eh, Eddga? These fool knights will no doubt try to assist me!" he said. "While you and Moonlight will have a squad of angry knights and a crusader on your hands; my buddy and I will finish Drake off, get stronger, and then come back to eat you!"

As if on cue, a knight suddenly yelled. "We've got to help that swordsman!" The rest of the troop charged at Eddga with renewed fervor; perhaps inspired by the bravado of the "swordsman". Eddga's eyes narrowed in frustration.

"The doppelganger, how dare you rely on such cheap trickery!" he snarled. "Nonetheless, I'll deal with you and these knights at the same time if I have to. Moonlight can handle the crusader, the lead knight and that traitorous sohee!" The doppelganger grinned as he stepped back and let another knight charge in to strike at Eddga. The tiger-beast roared as a lance struck his right side. In a flash, the doppelganger was behind him. The broadsword fell; gashing Eddga viciously.

The blond swordsman suddenly grasped Eddga's neck in a headlock and whispered into the beast's ears. "I wouldn't rely on Moony that much, Eddga!" he taunted. "He has his own problems as you will soon see!" He chuckled, released his grip and looked back at Moonlight's battle.

Eliarainne jabbed at the cat-being relentlessly with her lance while Makaelthos was back into the fray. His arm was numbing from the last Jupitel Thunder. Even though his shield was partly mirrored to defend against spells and he had pulled off a shield reinforcement spell in time, the electricity was so powerful that some of it still slipped past his guard. Eliarainne swiftly rode next to him as he whispered another prayer, causing his hands to glow softly with white light. With a touch he sent the glow to his companions. Some of their wounds closed while some burns simply disappeared.

Moonlight's eyes narrowed into slits. The crusader was becoming a nuisance. He pointed a paw at him and began to cast another Jupitel Thunder.

Makaelthos saw the cat-being cast a spell and raised his shield. He did not hope to interrupt Moonlight's concentration before he cast his spell. The cat-being's casting speed was notorious. The spell was not cast however, a cloaked figure suddenly leaped from the trees. In a flash, a bandaged fist slammed into Moonlight's face, sending the cat-being careening into a nearby tree.

When he noticed the sudden presence of another immortal, Eddga checked on his ally. The distraction proved to be a mistake when the doppelganger quickly disappeared from his sight. A sudden pain across his left leg told him the price of losing the shadowy immortal.

Makaelthos and Eliarainne knew who the cloaked figure was. Red eyes glowed from the figure's hood, almost daring them to mention its name. Makaelthos looked back at the troop. A blond swordsman was helping the knights defeat Eddga! With Osiris around, he knew instinctively that it was the doppelganger. The "swordsman" grinned; eyes gleaming with cunning. He assessed the situation. Osiris and the doppelganger were using Eliarainne's troops as extra "help" to destroy Moonlight and Eddga. If he warned the men that the doppelganger was fighting among them, Osiris and the doppelganger would also turn on them. He doubted if the remaining knights could handle the doppelganger and Osiris after sustaining heavy casualties by fighting Eddga and Moonlight.

As Makaelthos was thinking, the cloaked figure suddenly spoke. It's voice rumbling menacingly from the depths of its hood. "You had better retreat, Moonlight." he said. "You're outnumbered and it's Drake we're after for now."

Moonlight's paws clenched. "You have the advantage now, Osiris, but I'll be the one to slay Drake and then I'll slay you next!" he spat.

The cloaked figure's eyes gleamed. "Osiris?" he asked. "You're mistaken; I'm just a monk trying to defeat the infamous Moonlight Flower while my swordsman friend busies himself with Eddga."

Moonlight glared balefully at the cloaked figure and gestured for Eddga. The tiger-beast broke free of his enemies and moved to his partner's side. Moonlight cast another spell and the two were gone.

With the threat one, the knights turned to face the blond swordsman and his cloaked companion. Makaelthos kept his sword drawn; the situation could quickly become violent. He remembered the incident in Morroc.

Suddenly the blond swordsman grinned and spoke. Breaking the tense silence around them. "Wow! You guys are from the Pronteran knights, right?" he asked. "That's great! Are you here to get rid of Drake? My pal and I could help!" The knights looked at their commanders. Eliarainne had no idea what to make of the two. Khaesilya returned to her master's side and glanced nervously at the cloaked figure. Makaelthos thought hard while the swordsman kept talking. "My name's Joe Buck and my monk companion here is Seiros. We're here to help defeat Drake."

Makaelthos listened as the doppelganger spun one lie after another. Then his own fists clenched. He didn't have much of a choice; it looked like he had to work with the doppelganger and Osiris this time.

The cloaked figure's eyes gleamed faintly. Makaelthos stared back at Osiris as a silent conversation seemed to pass between them. 'A pleasure working with you too, Osiris.' he thought.

Eliarainne ordered the rest of the troop to carry the wounded and move on. There were other battles to fight inside Alberta, battles they now had to share with two of the most unlikely battle companions they'll ever have.

* * *

**World notes**

**White elunium** - a rarer type of elunium known for its higher capacity for mirroring and its natural sheen. It is as strong as regular elunium.

**Mirroring** - a process during the crafting of a piece of armor. Mirroring adds a special alchemical substance to the metal to make it more resistant to magic. As a sideffect, mirroring slightly decreases the hardness of the metal. Fully processed pieces are called mirrors, the most common being mirror shields. They have been known to fully deflect spells and even reflect portions of them. Over-mirroring causes the metal to turn into a putty-like substance, unfit for forging. Partial mirroring allows for some significant defense against magic without sacrificing physical defense.

**Shield reinforcement spell** - a spell known to crusaders that allows them to channel some holy energy into their shields to increase its hardness and resistance to magic. Coupled with mirroring it allows them to actually reflect a larger portion of incoming spells.

In game explanation - this spell replaces the reflect shield spell known to crusaders.


	9. Mortals and immortals

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 7: Mortals and immortals**

"Stop staring at me, knight. I won't explode you know." The doppelganger said as he looked back at Eliarainne for the eighth time.

Eliarainne had agreed with Makaelthos about not telling their troop about Osiris and the doppelganger but it didn't mean she was going to stop watching them for any sign of a sudden attack. She remembered the times she fought against the doppelganger. She had often traveled with her companions whenever duty permitted them to do so. During those travels, she had come up against some of the strongest monsters on Rune-Midgard; Baphomet, the Dark lord, the Orc Hero and Drake. Of course, that also meant Osiris and the doppelganger. "I'd prefer it if you did, "swordsman"." She shot back. "I'll have fewer things to worry about with you gone."

The doppelganger put on such a hurt expression that for a moment, Eliarainne was actually taken aback. Then she remembered the situation and frowned at the doppelganger's dramatics. "You shouldn't bully the weak like that, Miss knight!" He laughed.

Eliarainne's expression darkened. 'Weak!' She thought. 'You're anything but that, doppelganger!' She recalled her experiences while fighting against the doppelganger. Perhaps the most terrifying thing about fighting against him was his speed. The broadsword was heavy and wide-bladed sword that required two hands for proper use. Yet, he wielded it as if it were a knife in his hands. He struck faster than an assassin and harder than your average knight. His appearance as a swordsman made the experience of fighting him even stranger. What really bothered her was the way he fought against Eddga. To her point of view, it seemed as if he was moving faster than ever. She looked at her partner. To her surprise, Makaelthos was walking beside Osiris!

Makaelthos spoke in low tones. It would not be good if his men heard him refer to the cloaked figure as "Osiris". No knight would willingly travel with the morrocan emperor's mummy if they could help it. While anyone who had read so much as a few pages of a history book could tell that Osiris was once a noble emperor, more recent encounters with his mummy always ended in horrid carnage. His eyebrows furrowed. They couldn't help it. Osiris had them in a compromising situation, something he had to remedy soon before he was caught in another battle between Moonlight's alliance and Osiris's. Drake's interference will make matters worse. Red eyes gleamed slightly from Osiris's hood. The mummy stared at him with undisguised interest.

"I watched your battle with Moonlight earlier, crusader." Osiris began. "Few beings can stand up to that cat's spells for long. I must say I am somewhat impressed by your prowess; yours and that knight's."

Makaelthos tried to gauge Osiris' intentions from his words. Osiris was not flattering him. The mummy was stating a simple fact. He glanced at Khaesilya to see how she was doing. She was clearly not comfortable with Osiris walking beside him.

'Be careful, Master Makaelthos!' Her warning sounded only within his own mind. 'A blow from the once-great warrior emperor can spell death!'

Makaelthos took heed of his sohee companion's warning. The memory of Moonlight flying several feet at the force of Osiris's blow was still fresh in his mind. Still, there were things he had to find out for himself. "You weren't bad there yourself, Osiris." He replied. "So what is it you're fighting about anyway?"

Osiris stared at the crusader while they walked. There was something about the man that intrigued him. "The war is a complicated matter; something I wasn't clear on myself until the doppelganger explained it." He answered. "Your sohee slave seems to know some details herself. Needless to say, it is something to be fought until only one immortal stands."

Makaelthos watched Khaesilya for a while. A lot of people assumed that she was his slave. That was the general condition of any sohee found among humans. In return, her race detested people and killed any that they could. Khaesilya was different. He had long since freed her from her original binding; having shattered the silver knife of chastity that was used on her. She was free but she chose to stay by him. He would much rather treat her as a companion; in equal terms with any of his friends. "She's not my slave and she does not seem comfortable with the subject." He answered. "I would rather find out from an active participant in your war."

Osiris glanced at the sohee. That was all it took to confirm that the crusader was right. She was not bound by a silver knife of chastity as most sohee slaves were. He returned to the subject though; sohees that served men out of free will were Moonlight's problem. "I know little about it myself." He answered. "It was the doppelganger who told me the details. He mentioned something about reading them from a hidden library in Geffenia; which means most of us have no idea why we awakened in the first place."

Makaelthos thought hard for a brief moment as he processed the new information. It seemed as if even these immortals did not know why they had to fight in a war. "You "awakened?" what does not mean?" He asked.

Osiris watched as his "partner" continued to banter with the crusader's knight companion. For someone who was more knowledgeable about the current situation than he was, the doppelganger was acting like an ignorant child. "As the doppelganger put it; for the past two thousand years we have been asleep." He continued. "Our bodies were acting out of impulse while we slept. They rose by themselves fighting against your kind over and over again. Apparently, we cannot be killed that way so each time our bodies were destroyed, they simply reformed again. The awakening was the time when we regained consciousness. Our bodies could not make full use of our powers back then, making us much weaker. That has changed now. Regaining consciousness has made us vulnerable to destruction but it has also granted us full access to our powers. You have seen that in Moonlight have you?"

Makaelthos had to agree. He knew that Moonlight Flower was capable of spellcasting, but only the basics. It was the first time he had seen the immortal cast a storm gust spell as well as a jupitel thunder. Still, understanding why these immortals became so much stronger was not enough. He wanted to find out about the war. "You haven't told me why you have to fight and kill each other." He pressed on.

Osiris eyes flashed red momentarily. "And you haven't given me as much as your name, crusader." He replied. "I would have it before we continue."

Makaelthos nodded in agreement. In his curiosity, he had forgotten certain formalities. It wasn't surprising that a former emperor wouldn't. "Makaelthos." He replied. "Makaelthos Solcry."

Osiris suddenly stopped upon hearing the name. Makaelthos gauged the mummy's reaction carefully. Did his name mean something to Osiris? The mummy regained his composure and continued walking. "Truly?" He asked. "Do you know what your last name means, Makaelthos Solcry? It has quite a history and it surprises even me that it should still exist."

Makaelthos frowned. He didn't expect the conversation to turn at the mention of his name. He decided to follow the mummy's words for a while. It would be bad to push the immortal too much. "I did not look too deeply into it." He answered. "It is a derivative from "Sole Cry" I might guess. Strange circumstances surround my birth regarding it. The one who took care of me said that someone from the dead made sure that I retained my identity. Besides that, it has done little to affect my life. Perhaps it meant more in the past, it doesn't matter now."

The light from Osiris's eyes dimmed to faint points. "Fool that you are then...for the past is what drives this war and it is your future that is at stake." He answered. "No one in your time remembers Solcry anymore but I still do. It was a name of great importance. Perhaps it will be once more." Osiris said those words softly, his deep voice almost breaking as he did so. Makaelthos struggled to hear them but he didn't reply. He was never that concerned about his own name. When he was younger, even now, there were always more important things. Osiris didn't mind the lack of a reply though. He continued to speak. "Completely destroying an immortal means absorbing its strength, Makaelthos Solcry. I fight to survive. I would rather devour someone's essence and become more able to defend myself than to become fodder for some other immortal's power. The other immortals have begun their bid for power as well; some have more ambitious goals than simply surviving while others such as Drake are content with terrorizing your kind. I do not want to be caught in a situation where I am outmatched by some immortal simply because he has consumed the essence of others."

Makaelthos finally caught sight of Alberta's walls. A few more minutes of walking and they will enter the city. "So it's more of a competition then." He replied. "Is that all there is?"

Osiris' eyes flashed once more under his hood. Makaelthos noticed the mummy's bandaged hands clench. "Make no mistake, Solcry! This is a war! The other immortals command armies of their minions. The orc tribes will spill across that Pronteran colony your government has set up. The coming times will be marked by battles; one after another until every immortal perishes or until your civilization ceases to exist."

Makaelthos stared at the white buildings of Alberta. Destroyed? He would never allow such a thing to happen to Rune-Midgard. "Until every immortal perishes?" He asked. "Does that include you too, Osiris?"

Osiris' fists unclenched. "Once the last of my enemies fall, I will gain my rest." He answered. "I have had enough of Rune-Midgard in my previous life, Solcry. I do not want to experience it all over again."

Makaelthos looked back to his partner. Eliarainne steadfastly tried to ignore the doppelganger; who was pestering her with all sorts of comments. The other knights were looking on nervously. Their Knight Commander was notorious for her temper. The last knight who told her that her fighting style was "cute" had to be carried away in a stretcher. Joe Buck was flirting with disaster with the way he bantered with her. "What about your partner?" He asked.

Osiris paid the doppelganger's antics no heed. "He and I have an agreement." He replied. "When all the other immortals are gone, we will duel. If he wins then so be it. He has no plans to dominate your world; he simply wishes to do as he pleases. If I win then I will be free of this undeath and rest forever." The entire troop finally reached Alberta's gates. In a few moments, Makaelthos found himself walking across Alberta's white stone streets. Osiris pointed a finger directly at the harbor. "He's already waiting for us."

Makaelthos followed Osiris' gaze and saw the ominous ship sailing around the harbor. The ship looked as if it was on the verge of sinking. Large holes gaped from its flanks like open wounds. The masts were tattered and fluttered uselessly in the wind. A black flag flew above the ship's main mast; identifying its owner to everyone. Eliarainne rode beside Makaelthos and stared at the ship. "Drake!" She growled. "He's pretty arrogant, strutting about in the open like that. In broad daylight too!"

Makaelthos's gaze turned to the mob of the pirate captain's skeletal sailors that guarded the harbor. "Eliarainne, we'll need reinforcements on this one." He told her. "You should send a message to Prontera." She had anticipated him, however. She was already detailing a knight with a butterfly wing and instructions. Makaelthos's grip on his sword tightened. Some of the men had already recovered from the battle with Eddga but he didn't want to risk a frontal attack until he had priest back up.

The doppelganger ran up to Osiris. "So do we slaughter them already?" He asked eagerly.

Osiris continued to stare at Makaelthos. "We'll wait, doppelganger." He answered his ally. "Moonlight and Eddga are probably still recovering from our surprise attack. Let's wait until these mortals gain their reinforcements. If everything goes smoothly then there's a chance we can finish off those two as well."

The doppelganger shrugged his shoulders and continued walking. He didn't like waiting but the benefits of doing so seemed pretty good. He never really considered himself a good planner and, normally, that wasn't a problem. However, watching the Dark lord and Baphomet ally with each other had convinced him that he needed someone who was. Though it had been about two thousand years ago, he had somehow remembered working with Osiris before; back when Osiris was still mortal and alive. He smiled inwardly. Retaining his memory after such a long period of time had proven itself to be quite useful. The advance knowledge he received when he broke into that secret library in Geffenia was also proving itself as a boon. Drake was bereft of either, leaving the pirate captain vulnerable to attack.

As for the mortals they traveled with right now, he found them quite amusing; especially the two commanders and their sohee companion. The crusader was a careful planner and a tenacious and analytical combatant. The doppelganger recalled how he swiftly reacted to Moonlight's spells even while being battered by a storm gust. Most mortals would panic and try desperately to break the caster's concentration when someone directs a jupitel thunder at them. The crusader was smart enough to now that he wouldn't make it so he took the next best option, reflecting a portion of the spell.

The female knight on the other hand was an impulsive and headstrong fighter; her fighting prowess was enough to keep even Moonlight on the defensive and her sheer toughness made a cold bolt pummeling seem like fresh spring rain. 'They make a good pair! One a careful thinker and the other an aggressive striker.' He thought.

Then he turned his attention to the sohee. When he first saw her accompanying the crusader, he had thought that either the crusader was extremely rich or extremely lucky. To tame a sohee required immense monetary resources as well as luck. Sohee slaves fetched a veritable fortune in the market both for their services and their appearance. Rune-Midgard economics was something he took pride in keeping up with but he also knew what sohee slaves looked like. Their subdued and miserable expressions annoyed him somewhat; as if their mere appearance encroached on the freedom he liked so much. The crusader's sohee was no slave, a slave did not fight side by side with her master and a slave would not speak without being spoken to. No, the sohee served out of free will. This was probably one of the reasons why Moonlight chose to eliminate the crusader's troop instead of using them. The cat-demon considered all sohees as his servants. 'The reason for her doing so might be an interesting story...perhaps I could ask her later, if she lives through this battle that is.' The doppelganger grinned and kept going. Somehow, he felt as if these people would influence the war. He ignored the hunch though. Only individual immortals will matter in this war, the mortals were mere tools to be used. 'Still...perhaps that's the reason why they're so interesting to watch. How can these limited beings change the course of a war beyond their reckoning?' He chuckled slightly. He couldn't wait for the answer.

* * *

**World notes**

**Pets and slaves -**non-sentient creatures such as porings, drops, poporings, baby desert wolves, rockers and lunatics can simply be captured and tamed by food and human contact. Sentient creatures such as orcs, ises and sohees will refuse to be enslaved unless magically compeled. Certain objects, if enchanted can magically break down such a creature's will and force them to obey whoever uses it on them. The magic is powerful and the effects are permanent but the dominating process can be unstable and is subject to failure, consuming the enchanted device without dominating its target. Should the enchanted device break while the creatures is under its effect, the effect immediately ends, freeing the creature. These enchanted devices attune themselves to their owners after a day of close contact and the slave obeys whoever its enchanted device is attuned to. To transfer ownership, the enchanted device is given to another and a day must pass before ownership is properly exchanged.


	10. A gathering of companions

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 8: A Gathering of Companions**

'They're in trouble already.' This was the first thought that crossed Silmeia Cafilence's mind when the cavalier from Eliarainne's division first arrived asking for reinforcements. She was focusing on a bit of meditation by the chapel near the infirmary when a messenger told her that someone from the First Knight Division requested her back up. Eliarainne took pride in her division's ability to survive in combat without asking for healing. To call for reinforcements meant a dangerous battle. It was standard procedure for the Second Priest Division to provide back up for Eliarainne's troops whenever needed. This occasion was no different. She had called for her second-in-command and already detailed a squad of priests to go with her to Alberta. Along with an extra squad of cavaliers from the First Knight Division and a squad of wizards picked from the Second and Third Wizard Division, frost and fire casters respectively. Silmeia watched as the door to the chapel opened.

"Ten priests, ten knights and ten wizards. That's a lot of firepower even for Drake." someone said.

Silmeia quickly recognized the man who seated himself by the last pew. His status as a wizard was obvious from the way he wore his flowing gray cloak to the way he took off the green, pointed, magic instructor's hat on his head. Unkempt, green hair covered his scalp; peeking down his eyes and covering the nape of his neck and the tips of his ears. He was notorious for his lack of combing habits though he was clean-shaved as if to add that it wasn't out of laziness. He brushed a few locks from his face and looked at her. Bright and strangely golden eyes stared at Silmeia with the familiarity. He had a long, thin nose, almost vulpine in appearance, a sharp jawline and a pointed chin. His cheeks had sunken a bit, enough to bring a twinge of worry to Silmeia. Perhaps he had not been sleeping well for the last couple of months. Nevertheless, his presence brought a slight smile to her lips. Here was another companion who had often traveled with her, Eliarainne and Makaelthos. One who had been absent for a few months to take care of business in his home city of Geffen. "I can never be too sure, can I?" she answered him. "Still, it's good to see you again, Trenzein. Is Seihanine with you?"

Trenzein shook his head. He hid a slight hint of annoyance at the radiant's hinting with a confident smile. "No, of course not." he answered. "She's on duty at the new colony over at the orc lands along with her brother, remember?"

Silmeia nodded and stepped out of the chapel. Trenzein walked beside her as they went over to inspect the reinforcing troops.

"Changing the subject." he continued. "I hear you found some black-armored knight out in the forest nearby. What did you find out about him?"

Silmeia looked over the assembled priests, knights and wizards. "Sir Agranias?" she answered. "Very little. He would not mention anything about his former group or why he was attacked by them. He said that revealing them would bring further danger to Prontera. It's strange really, he's hiding something and I think it has something to do with my sister."

Trenzein looked at Silmeia with concern. "Lystra? I didn't hear anything about a knight among those who were slain." he said softly.

Silmeia's expression grew serious. "That's what I thought too. Yet, he looked surprised when he saw her portrait and said something about her being familiar." she replied.

Trenzein watched the priestess worriedly. 'Great. he thought. 'I just said that to stop talking about Sei.' While he was not emphatic like Eliarainne or Makaelthos, he did not like the way Silmeia's mood darkened whenever the topic of her sister's death was brought up. It had been a silent agreement among him and his companions to avoid mentioning Lystra. He decided to change to the topic again; he had not expected that the subject on Agranias would lead to talking about Silmeia's younger sister. "So are Makaelthos and Eliarainne ahead of us or are we waiting for them here?" he asked.

Silmeia's mood lightened slightly. This was classic Trenzein. Deciding things by himself without bothering with protocol. He was a generalist; not truly part of any wizard division, as they were classified depending on their magical focus. Trenzein was often "on call" in the army; filling in for what was missing. To join the Second and Third Wizard Divisions he had to be summoned by Grand Wizard Commander Hakien Hyou but Silmeia doubted if the old wizard even knew that Trenzein was back from Geffen. Makaelthos would normally disapprove of such corner-cutting but she wasn't a stickler for rules like the lightbearer and there was no harm in letting Trenzein come this time. "Us, Trenzein?" she asked with a smile. "I didn't know you were coming."

Trenzein grinned and winked conspiratorially at the priestess. "It was just decided a moment ago" he replied." Besides, that knight said something about Drake, Moonlight Flower and Eddga. I've been itching for some frantic spell casting since my stay in Geffen!"

Smiling, Silmeia pulled out one of the blue gemstones she carried from her pocket. She closed her eyes and put her palms together with the gemstone between them. Then, she whispered a swift prayer for quick and safe travel, imagining the forest just outside Alberta. When she opened her eyes, a small pool of swirling light had appeared in front of her, no wider than the opening of a manhole and the gemstone was gone. The swirling lights slowly formed and image of the desired location. "Makaelthos and Eliarainne are already there, Trenzein." she answered. "We're supposed to be reinforcements."

Trenzein nodded and stepped into the image. A moment later, he found himself stepping out of another pool of swirling light. This time, it was among the knights of the First Knight Division. He smiled as he noticed Eliarainne grinning at the sight of him. "Trenzein Zaisen!" she called out. "You just had to be part of the reinforcements had you?" he laughed and walked towards his friends.

Makaelthos frowned slightly before nodding to acknowledge Trenzein's presence. He then checked to see who else was arriving.

A few more moments and Silmeia stepped through her portal. Makaelthos walked over to the priestess. "Good to see you, Silmeia." he greeted her.

Silmeia smiled at the sight of Makaelthos. She did not get the chance to greet him when he arrived at Prontera after his mission. "Good to see you too, Makaelthos." she replied. "How's the situation?"

Makaelthos's expression grew grim. "Not too good." he said. "We've lost two knights already from a sudden attack by Moonlight and Eddga. The rest are in need of healing. I've provided what I can but I must conserve some energy for the encounter with Drake."

Silmeia nodded. She assigned several priests to tend to the wounded while she discussed the plan with Eliarainne, Makaelthos and Trenzein. She was also quick to notice the presence of the strange, cloaked figure in the background as well as the young blond swordsman beside it. Before the healing could commence, Makaelthos led them to an abandoned warehouse near the gates. The streets were not safe, apparently. Drake's minions roamed Alberta, forcing everyone into hiding.

"So how do we go about this?" Silmeia whispered while she watched another patrol of skeletal pirates move past their hideout. Some of the knights held their breath as the horrid figure of a wraith floated behind the patrol. Even a battle-hardened knight would pause at the sight of the shroud-wrapped skeleton. The most frightening aspect of the creature was the fang-filled mouth that took up where the creature's stomach should be. It was horribly over-sized and constantly smacked its lips or ground its teeth. A wraith could float by silently and then take off a man's head with a single bite from its abdominal mouth.

Trenzein tapped his fingers on the table impatiently. He had destroyed wraiths before and the idea of facing one only made him eager to show what he can do. "You've got your reinforcements, Makaelthos. Why don't we just storm his ship already?" he prodded the lightbearer.

Makaelthos glanced at the cloaked figure behind them. He kept his voice low when he spoke and the tone of his voice said that the others should do the same. "We have other problems besides that, Trenzein." he answered.

Makaelthos explained the situation with Osiris and the doppelganger to his companions. Silmeia looked thoughtfully at Osiris while Trenzein's eyes widened in slight surprise. He knew enough of the situation to not raise his voice though. "Osiris and the doppelganger? You've picked up some strange allies, Makaelthos. But still, that makes us even more capable of defeating Drake head on." he insisted.

Makaelthos stared at the map before them. "We could, Trenzein, but we have to make sure that we are the ones to destroy Drake, not Osiris nor the doppelganger." he answered. He related Osiris's words to his companions. He did not bother hiding his intention to make sure that Osiris does not gain from Drake's destruction. He had made it clear to the mummy that he was going to make sure that no immortal would dominate the war. In return, the immortal told him that the challenge was accepted. He turned to inspect the rest of their troops. All of the remaining knights were restored to fighting form again and all they were waiting for now was for the priests to recover their mental reserves.

"So we destroy Drake before Osiris and the doppelganger do. How do we make sure of that?" Trenzein smiled slightly as he asked Makaelthos. Competing with regards to who gets to destroy the great monster first...he remembered how he had done that several times already with his companions. "I wish Seihanine and Kreizen were here. It would be just like old times." he added.

Makaelthos's expression grew serious. Trenzein's casual comment reminded him of two things; One was that he could never get used to how casual Trenzein could be in grave matters; the other was that he was worried for Seihanine and Kreizen Xalascent was well. The siblings were stationed in Orcville. If Osiris was right then the colony was in danger from an attack. "I must remind you that it will be different from old times, Trenzein." he chided the wizard. "Whatever happened to these immortals; it has made them much stronger than before. Don't underestimate them."

Even as Makaelthos spoke his warning though, Trenzein's remark had caused him to think back to the times when he fought the great monsters of Rune-Midgard with his companions. They were of lower ranking then thus they were not saddled with the responsibilities of commanding troops or leading Prontera's forces in battle. The memories almost brought a smile to him. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts; he focused on their attack plan. Still, he wished that Kreizen and Seihanine Xalascent were with him. Their familiar presence would further assure him of success.

The sun had begun to set when Makaelthos and the others finally set out towards Drake's ship. After careful discussion, they had decided that the best way to combat the pirate captain would be head on, after all. More complicated tactics would delay them further and would allow Moonlight and Eddga to get ahead of them.

* * *

Osiris approached the ship from a different direction. He did not bother explaining the reason to Makaelthos though he guessed that the crusader probably knew why. The doppelganger on the other hand was a different matter. Osiris had to explain his motives to his "partner". "We've already set most of the knights against Moonlight, Eddga and Drake. They'll keep our rivals busy while being apart from them would allow us to summon our minions without revealing our cover." he had told the shadowy immortal.

The doppelganger raised an eyebrow. "Won't they recognize us if we attack?" he asked.

Osiris removed his cloak; revealing a powerful and bandage-covered physique. Where his eyes should be there were two points of red light. They gleamed underneath the bandages that covered his face. "As I said, they'll be too busy. Osiris and the doppelganger will only appear later after they have destroyed most of Drake's crew. I have no doubt that Moonlight will grow impatient and join the fray with his minions. With them busy we can eliminate Drake at our leisure." He answered.

The doppelganger grinned; he was clearly impressed by Osiris's careful planning. "What if he doesn't?" he asked.

Osiris' eyes flickered with anticipation. "Then Joe Buck and Seiros will have to ask for help." he replied. "These mortals are strong; if Moonlight does not engage them then they will dispatch Drake's forces faster. We'll engage Moonlight and Eddga's minions with ours as well, just to add to the chaos."

The doppelganger's eyes gleamed with anticipation. Osiris had thought of everything; allowing him to do what he enjoyed the most.

* * *

"We've made it in time."

From a different part of Alberta, Moonlight and Eddga watched as the troop of humans moved towards the pirate ship. As Moonlight expected, Drake rallied his forces to engage the mortals head on. He grinned; for a moment he thought that he would not recover from Osiris' surprise attack in time to beat the humans to killing Drake first. Around the him was his personal retinue of nine tails; flaming, fox-like creatures each possessing nine tails that looked more like tongues of flame than fur. Their faces were twisted with feral anticipation, rows of sharp canines glistening against the setting sun. He turned to watch his partner. Eddga was surrounded by his Leib Olmai, purple-furred bears that served as his minions. They stood on their hind legs, upright like humans did. Their arms were massive bundles of muscle and fur, each tipped with five claws. Moonlight began to move towards the pirate ship; his retinue following him closely. He knew that Osiris and the doppelganger were waiting somewhere with their own minions and, between the warring immortals and mortals, he could only expect chaos, one that he would have to rise above from. "Ready yourself, Eddga!" he called behind him. "This will be the first major skirmish in our war and I expect only victory for the two of us!"

The tiger beast roared in reply. Moonlight could already feel the intense tension that came before a great battle. The sun would have set by that time. Their fighting will be lit, not with sunlight but the lurid fire of battle.

* * *

**World notes**

**Magical specialty - **A student in the Geffen Magic Academy is required to choose an element of magic to be his specialty and another one to serve as a sub school. A graduating wizard is known by his specialty element regardless of sub school. Fire casters specialize in fire, Frost casters specialize in cold and Lightning casters specialize in electrical magic. Spells such as Soul Strike and Palm beat, both not classified under any element, are considered free electives, useful if learned but not necessary to graduate.

**Generalists - **A generalist is a rare sort of wizard, having no specific magical specialty but able to cast spells from any element. Only extremely gifted students have the mental capacity to become generalists. Usually they are unable to gain the power to cast the strongest spells in a specific element, making up for it by variety. When the nature of an enemy is unsure, generalists are often sent for. Since they are too few, they do not make up divisions of their own, instead serving as "standing troops" in case of emergencies.

**Wizard divisions -**Wizard divisions in the pronteran regular army are classified depending on the magical specialties of their members. The First Wizard Division, for example is made up of frost casters. Their formation and hierarchy are similar to Knight and Priest Divisions.


	11. A maelstrom of carnage

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 9: A Maelstrom of Carnage**

The harbor had become a terrifying sight before the soldiers of Prontera could arrive. The place was swarming with skeletal pirates; each one of them holding a rusty cutlass or dirk. The sun was rapidly setting. Like a funeral shroud, fresh darkness slowly covered the hideous crew. A few torches around their ship were lit. Their captain had ordered it. "Let them find us if that is what they wish!" He had said. "Drake's crew rules these parts now!" Drake's crew had responded with dry clicking of bones and steel clashing. These skeletons were in various stages of decay. Some were missing limbs, others were covered with seaweed while some still had strips of flesh still hanging on to them like tattered pieces of meat. Floating with the pirates were the bones of strange fish-like undead. These were megalodons; the animated remains of the feral fish that Drake had once kept as pets. They were enormous in life and in death, their remains were roughly the same size as a human's. Their bones were sharp, pointed and blackened by time; well suited for ramming against foes and puncturing their flesh. Among the skeletal pirates and fish that composed Drake's crew floated the wraiths. These massive undead moved about aimlessly, resembling skeletons wrapped in a black shroud. Their legs hung uselessly beneath their enormous bulk, nothing more but atrophied, dead things. Their arms were in the same state. The only thing moving in their bodies were their abdominal mouths opening and closing at random. They awaited only Drake's command before they floated out among the living and sate their hunger for flesh.

It was the captain, Drake, who presented the most imposing sight among them. Unlike the tattered pieces of cloth his crew wore, his clothing was mostly intact. The long, navy blue overcoat had maintained its color and resiliency even after thousands of years. The corsair on top of his skull seemed to stand defiantly against any authority; proclaiming him to be the captain of a dreaded pirate crew. Strapped to the right side of his hip was a cutlass. Unlike those that belonged to his crew, this cutlass did not sport an inch of rust. The handle was cast in silver and decorated with fine, black gems. A rapier hung by the left side of his belt. Like the cutlass, it was also finely-kept and decorated. He bared his filed teeth as he spotted the approaching knights from his ship. He had readied his minions to intercept them in the harbor at a much earlier time. Now it was only a matter of time until they engaged the knights. "Let them all come then!" he shouted his defiance towards the direction of the mortals who had come to enforce their "law" on him. "I can deal death to any knight your precious cities can muster!"

* * *

Makaelthos watched as Drake's forces readied themselves for the attack. The moon had risen by the time their forces got there. With only moonlight illuminating the harbor, he looked around; using only a few moments to take in what he could use in terrain and what he saw of his enemies. He estimated at least sixty skeletal pirates; each of them wielding a rusty cutlass in one hand and a dagger in the other. Fighting beside the skeletal crew were numerous wraiths and the huge skeletal fish known as megalodons. He signaled for Trenzein. "You get to open up combat as usual!" he called out.

Trenzein grinned and signaled to the members of the Second Wizard division. The knights and priests ducked to clear the wizards' line of sight as a barrage of flaming bolts crashed down the enemy's first line. Almost immediately, the knights picked up the pace and charged; many of them magically sped up by the Second Priest Division. Silmeia waved her hand and whispered a swift prayer. Immediately, the knights felt her power form an invisible barrier around their armor; providing them with additional protection. Eliarainne took the lead as the first line of mounted knights collided with Drake's forces. She waved her lance about; breaking apart the formation of Drake's forces. Makaelthos raised his sword and signaled for the second line of knights to rally behind him. "Second line, spearhead formation!" he called out; his voice rising above the clash of steel already filling the harbor. The mounted knights moved in a well-practiced formation behind Makaelthos. He took the lead as he felt Silmeia's blessing spells on him.

From behind the second line, Trenzein signaled for another barrage of spells; this time a more massive assault behind the enemy's main line of skeletons. Above the mob of undead, a wave of heat washed down on the city followed by the appearance of an enormous flaming boulder. It crashed down behind the enemy mob; exploding into large, flaming fragments. The blast incinerated everything within a few feet while sending bones flying everywhere. Some of the remains landed on the water; tainting the sea with ash. Two more boulders followed the first one; causing less damage against the enemy this time as they had already dispersed. With the knights now mixing among the skeletons, Trenzein didn't dare try the spell again. He aimed a quagmire spell towards the skeletons the meteor storm scattered, temporarily transforming the solid, stone pavement into a morass. The skeletons struggled as they sank waist deep in the churning substance. Behind him, the other wizards concentrated on targeted spells; picking off the more dangerous enemies instead of indiscriminately flinging fire everywhere.

Makaelthos led the second line of knights towards the gap in Drakes forces driving a wedge between the skeletal crew and the megalodons. He watched as Drake himself strode forward to meet his charge. The skeletal pirate captain drew a cutlass from its sheath and pointed it towards his direction. He answered in the same manner and moved to engage Drake. 'A duel?' He thought. 'That's not really something I was expecting from you, Drake.' he thought. He deflected Drake's first attack with his shield and closed in on the pirate captain. He made an overhead slash, which the Drake immediately parried. Then, he pushed his saber forward in an attempt to break Drake's guard. In response the pirate captain held the cutlass with one hand and struck him with a fist. The fist struck his face with the force of a mace blow. Dazed, he stepped back to recover while Drake pushed forward with his attack; the cutlass waved menacingly near his neck.

The tiny bits of light within Drake's eye sockets flashed slightly. "You've got a lot of nerve, crusader." he sneered. "Do you think you can just storm my ship so easily? You're wrong! Drake's pirates may have fallen once in the past but I'll be damned before I let another pack of Pronteran knight scum sink my ship again!"

Makaelthos wiped the blood from the cut on his lip and pointed a hand at the pirate captain. A wave of positive energy sprang from his hand and struck Drake in the form of a healing spell. The skeletal captain staggered back for a few steps as Healing power washed over him; scalding his undead form as if it was a pot of boiling oil that had been poured on him. Makaelthos took advantage of the momentary gap in Drake's defense and lunged at his enemy. His saber suddenly flashed with holy energy as it struck Drake on the chest. The energy exploded in the form of a cross; driving the undead pirate captain further back. "Damned? I think you're already beyond that stage!" he answered.

Makaelthos stepped aside as one of Eliarainne's troops lunged at a nearby wraith dead. The battle was raging fiercely now; Trenzein's wizards filled the air with flames while Eliarainne brandished her lance about; sending bones scattering in all directions.

Silmeia directed the efforts of the Second Priest Division; periodically healing the injured nights that staggered back to her line and directing a barrage of healing spells against the more dangerous wraiths. One megalodon broke through the protective circle and lunged directly at her. She stood her ground as the huge, skeletal fish floated forward to bite her. Its jagged teeth failed to penetrate the powerful barrier she had set up however. She raised a hand; concentrating on a different sort of prayer. The light that emanated from her hand was not the soft glow of a healing spell but the sharp glare concentrated holy energy. She released the spell; causing an explosion within the head of the megalodon and sending fragments of it flying about. The splinters bounced off her priests defensive barriers without any harm.

Khaesilya was holding her own against the onrushing skeletal pirates. She jammed her stiletto into one skeleton pirate's skull, breaking its head in half, and pulled the weapon out in time to deflect the rusty cutlass of another. She tried desperately to reach Makaelthos as he dueled with Drake. The tide of battle kept them apart as another group of skeleton pirates charged at her.

"Drake!"

The battle cry penetrated the sounds of battle, causing many of its participants to look at the one who shouted.

* * *

Moonlight watched the fight from atop one of Alberta's buildings. Behind him was a group of nine-tails, Eddga and a group of Leib Olmai.

In the middle of the battlefield, Makaelthos forced his attention back to Drake. He had decided to focus at the problem at hand; which took the form of a cutlass-wielding captain that attempted to slice his head off again. He stepped back and prepared to cast a healing spell again when a sudden wave of heat crashing against his face made him look to see what Drake was up to. The skeletal captain was nowhere in sight. Instead, there was a wall of blue flames before him. A sudden curse from Drake told him that his opponent was over the other side and this wasn't part of a plan.

Makaelthos looked at Moonlight again. Sure enough the cat-being smirked and jumped into the fray behind the walls of fire he created. Drake did not answer the charge with his own. Instead he stepped back and began a swift chant. Several spheres of water to seemed to appear out of nowhere; condensing from the air around the pirate captain. With a gesture, Drake pointed them towards the cat; sending them flying with the speed of hurled boulders. The spheres flew true; slamming at Moonlight's raised arms and sending him flying back. Makaelthos was about to go around the wall of flames when a small creature, with what appeared to be nine gouts of flame extending from behind it, rushed him while snarling and snapping at his head. He bashed the creature on the head with his shield; stunning it long enough for him to push it into the fiery wall. The creature howled piteously as the fire consumed it. 'For it to consume even something with an affinity for fire...these flames are more magic than elemental.' Makaelthos thought. He paid it little attention though, as more of the fox creatures swarmed into the battle field. The walls of fire lengthened and increased; creating a box that separated Drake from his forces. Inside the box, Moonlight and Eddga attacked the pirate captain from both sides. He tried to approach the walls of fire but the heat caused him to fall back. Blocked, he then turned to see how the battle progressed; checking if someone could assist.

It was utter chaos.

Along with the nine-tails fought the purple-furred Leib Olmai, their brown-haired bigfoot cousins, savage yet beautiful sohees and the strange fire spirits called horongs. These creatures attacked both Drake's minions and the Pronteran soldiers. Makaelthos doubted if a shouted order could get to anyone who wasn't standing next to him. A sohee, its features twisted into a feral snarl, broke free of the melee and flew towards him; wailing and hacking at him with a stilleto. He parried the blade with his own; twisting his saber and slicing off the demon spirit's fingers. It wailed in pain and lashed at him with the pointed fingernails of its other hand. He stepped back and brought his saber up; opening a gaping wound on the sohee's neck. The demon crumpled to the ground, bleeding. Before he could even watch the demon dissipate into crimson vapor as its kind died; Makaelthos raised his shield as a hulking, furred creature growled and lumbered towards him. A leib olmai towered over him; its claws swinging for his neck. His shield caught both swipes; the creature's nails glancing off the white elunium plate. He focused his thoughts on a mental image of his sohee companion, Khaesilya. She had told him before that she could pick up strong surface thoughts from him, even if she wasn't actively listening, if he concentrated enough. If shouted orders weren't enough, he had to rely on her unique mental abilities. 'Khaesilya!' He thought; trying to imagine himself shouting the name, hoping the sohee would hear him. The leib olmai in front of him roared and lunged at him; trying to take him down and maul him. He jumped back; narrowly avoiding crashing into a knight who was locked in combat with another sohee.

'Master Makaelthos!'

Khaesilya's mental call alerted him. He swung his shield; bashing the leib olmai's face and sending it stumbling backward. He concentrated on his message while his enemy was briefly stunned. 'Khaesilya, I need you to tell Trenzein that we have to extinguish these fire walls before Moonlight Flower and Eddga kill Drake!' he thought.

The sohee immediately complied, telepathically sending Makaelthos's message towards the wizard.

Trenzein ducked as a horong flew past him like a purple fireball. The spirit paused in midair and then floated towards him instead. Annoyed, he pointed at the flame and concentrated on a spell. The air condensed around his hand; creating small icicles as its temperature lowered to freezing depths. He set the blast of frost towards the flame spirit; bits of ice trailing behind the spell like a tail. He received the sohee's telepathic message and scratched his tousled hair. 'Extinguish?' he thought. 'Is he crazy? I can't even approach the damn things without half a dozen monsters going after me!' He dodged frantically as an enemy sohee lunged at him with a stiletto. The line of knights were starting to show holes in their defense and monsters were now making their way towards the wizards and priests. His mind was working on various levels now. One part to keep casting spells, another to dodge the monsters that kept coming after him and a third to mentally reply to Khaesilya's telepathy. 'Tell Makaelthos that I'm going to need some back up if I'm moving in!' he answered.

Khaesilya quickly informed her master of the situation.

Makaelthos beat back the leib olmai as he searched for a less preoccupied knight. He sidestepped a clumsy swipe from the dazed creature and trust his saber between its ribs and into its heart. The beast whimpered and fell over to its side. 'Tell Eliarainne that I need Trenzein here!' he answered mentally. 'Get someone to escort him!'

Khaesilya complied once again and sent the message telepathically to the First Knight Commander.

Eliarainne waved her lance about; knocking several bigfoots to the ground while they tried to surround her. She then kicked one leib olmai directly in the face when it tried to pull her off her mount. The creature fell back; allowing her to pierce its head with her lance. 'Escort?' she replied. 'Alright, tell Trenzein I'm on my way!' She plowed her way past the mob of skeleton pirates and bigfoots and made her way towards Trenzein's line of wizards. Several members of the third line of knights were badly wounded; keeping many of Silmeia's priests busy. Trenzein spotted her and waved a hand; signaling that he was ready to go. She nodded at him and turned to see how Makaelthos was doing. She found him pulling his sword out of a dead sohee. She then sent her thoughts to his sohee companion. Khaesilya had taken to fighting on the ground to differentiate herself from her floating kin. 'Khaesilya, tell Makaelthos that we need an opening in the battlefield!' she thought.

Khaesilya complied once again even as she stabbed her stiletto into the heart of a bigfoot. She pushed with all her strength against the hilt; burying the blade deep into the beast's chest until her arm had also gone through. When she deemed she reached the heart, she pulled her arm out. Her entire forearm was covered in blood. The bear-like creature roared before collapsing. Bright red blood stained her sleeves as the blood on her arm dripped on it. She sent her thoughts to her master and stepped back from the bigfoot's corpse to catch her breath.

Makaelthos kicked another nine-tails into the walls of fire and assessed the situation as soon as he received Khaesilya's answer. 'Tell Silmeia that we need a Magnus Exorcismus spell for Eliarainne and Trenzein.' he answered.

Khaesilya immediately sent her thoughts to Silmeia. The criss-crossing of messages did not leave her confused even in battle. She had gotten used to it and took pride in her unique ability to serve her master. No other sohee she had encountered could speak mentally like she could. She did not know how she came to possess such an ability, it was yet another memory before the silver knife, but she readily put it to use.

Silmeia received Khaesilya's thoughts and signaled for two knights from the third line to cover her. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Magnus Exorcismus required extreme focus on her part. She could keep up the casting despite the explosions, cries and clashes all around her but a violent motion or a physical blow would cause her to lose the spell. Holy energy; manifesting into bright, crackling arcs of power around her began to swirl under her feet. The hair on the back of her neck seemed to stand as more power pooled towards her spot. She began to chant the long, slippery prayer that would form the gigantic cross on the ground using the condensing holy energy around her. She had practiced this so many times and her tongue did not so much as slow even during the difficult words. The cross began to slowly form underneath the fighting monsters between her and Makaelthos.

Trenzein saw the Silmeia's hands come together in prayer and her lips moving incredibly fast. That was his signal to move. He knew that once Silmeia's Magnus hits, the path between him and the walls of fire would be clear of sohees and skeletons. Eliarainne could handle the remaining bigfoots, Leib Olmai and nine-tails.

Makaelthos looked beyond the walls of fire to check on the situation inside. Drake was still holding his own against Moonlight and Eddga though his disadvantage was now exceedingly obvious. Eddga was keeping between him and Moonlight Flower, matching his cutlass strikes with his enormous claws. From a distance, Moonlight Flower brought forth spell after spell in rapid succession; pounding Drake's undead frame with blasts of flame and bolts of lightning.

Trenzein struck down another horong with a frost driver spell. He looked at the radiant again. The light emanating from her was intensifying, making it difficult to look at her directly. He bit down on his lower lip in impatience. 'Hurry up, Sil, we're under time pressure here.' he thought.

At last, the Magnus struck. Silmeia's eyes opened and her arms fell to her sides. An enormous equilateral cross, over thirty feet from side to side, had fully materialized on the ground. It was as if someone had etched something on the earth using pure light. It glowed briefly and then dimmed. Another second later, it exploded without any noise; silently rocking the battle field with multiple blasts. Immediately it was echoed by the dying wails of sohee and the dry sound of inanimate bones crashing to the ground. The demons and undead caught within the cross itself simply vaporized without a sound. It was those nearby; the ones struck by crackling bolts of holy power that leaped out of the initial explosions that burned more slowly; leaving behind charred remains. Even the bigfoots and leib olmai, creatures neither demon nor undead, were suffering from severe burns from the spell. All of the knights knew better than to stay near the cross and had scrambled to safety. Some of them were actually slightly singed. Silmeia opened her eyes and proceeded to heal her two knight escorts. Khaesilya had managed to jump aside before the Magnus affected her as well.

Makaelthos signaled for Trenzein and Eliarainne. "Hurry! Drake's badly wounded already!" he shouted.

The silence after the Magnus swiftly dissipated as the battle raged on. Those left alive fought even harder to shake off the spell's effects. Drake's forces were severely reduced; allowing Moonlight and Eddga's forces to concentrate on the knights. Several of the Pronteran soldiers had fallen already. The priests were obviously starting to run out of energy to fuel their healing spells. Bolts of ice flew about as Trenzein had ordered the wizards to concentrate on the horongs. The fire spirits were hard to destroy; physical weapons found little to attack within their semi-gaseous forms. Only ice spells seemed to do more than scratch them. He finally managed to get close enough to get the walls of fire in his range. Eliarainne beat back the approaching leib olmai and bigfoots.

"Hurry up already, Trenzein!" she called at him over her shoulder; a fierce grin on her face told him that she was enjoying the fight. "We can't afford to let Moonlight absorb Drake. He's dangerous enough as it is!"

Trenzein had to agree. The walls of fire alone proved Moonlight's spell casting power. The spell's duration wasn't supposed to last for this long. He raised his arms concentrated on the walls of fire. The air above the flames began to spin about as he stirred it with his magic. He concentrated; fighting against the heat that the fire walls generated so he could cool the air above them to icy temperatures. His magic won out, spinning the winds into a howling frenzy. The air grew heavier as it cooled down, descending on the flames like a smothering blanket. He concentrated further, enough to form bits of ice within the whirling blast of cold. When the storm gust fully manifested he let go of the spell; letting it run its course as it extinguished the flames. He was panting when the spell was over but he grinned and took a slight bow to an invisible audience. "The wall's gone!" he shouted. "Get your knights in already!"

Makaelthos prepared to enter when he was suddenly blocked by a bandaged figure. 'Osiris!' The name crossed his mind. He raised his sword. Still, he found it odd that the mummy would rather fight him when Drake was just right behind. He looked closely and understood. The figure was not Osiris. It was a different mummy, wrapped in ceremonial bandages that marked it as part of the elite ones that prowled the tomb of Osiris. Along with several others of its kind, it bounded into battle; moving far too fast for a corpse preserved for a thousand years. Makaelthos heard a neighing sound and glanced behind him. Huge, flying horses, seemingly made of purple flames, galloped through the air and around the battlefield. Several knights groaned and raised their swords and lances as more mummies waded into the battle field. He could not see the actual Osiris or the doppelganger. He raised his sword again and charged towards the nearest ancient mummy. Behind him the sounds of battle grew louder.

The carnage was far from over.

* * *

**World notes**

**Magnus Exorcismus -**this spell is the strongest spell known to the Church. It concentrates holy energy on the ground and then blows it up like a massive bomb, destroying the priest's enemies. While holy energy burns undead and demonic flesh with ease, the intensity and concentration of the kind found in this spell can harm even normal, living flesh, though not with the same efficiency it does demons or the undead. A priest's allies would do well to also stand aside when this spell is cast.


	12. The first to fall

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 10: The First to fall**

Before the ancient mummy could even swing a bandaged arm, Makaelthos smashed his shield against its face and pushed it aside. When the creature fell beside him, he didn't bother to look; running past it and straight into the middle of Drake's battle. The pirate captain's left arm had been torn away; claw marks marred the socket it was attached to. Makaelthos also noticed the cracks on the rest of Drake's bones and the tattered, charred remains of his outfit. A few feet away, the left arm was still clutching a rapier. Drake had accounted for himself though. Eddga's fur was stained red with his own blood. He had several gashes all over his chest and arms and one running down his snout. His pipe was gone; its hacked remains nearby. Moonlight's right arm hung uselessly by his side; swollen and bent in several places. Makaelthos guessed that it had taken several of Drake's water balls and was completely useless. The cat was still capable of casting spells with his left arm alone however. He raised his saber. He had to finish Drake now before Moonlight and Eddga gained the skeletal captain's essence. He had no idea what the effects of gaining essence would result in but it meant more power for an immortal and that wasn't something he was going to risk.

Behind him, the battle raged on.

Several of Silmeia's priests had collapsed out of sheer exhaustion. At the sight of this, her expression turned grim. With many of her priests already depleted of energy, the Second Priest Division was faltering in its support. There was no leniency on her division's part. Her healers kept up their spells to the point of fainting with no hesitation. She was beginning to regret not bringing in more priests for the mission. She had not expected the sudden influx of monsters coming from Moonlight, Eddga, Osiris and the doppelganger's sides. A few feet away from her unit, a sudden curse from her companion, Trenzein, told her that the Second Wizard Division was experiencing the same problems. Silmeia focused her thoughts on Makaelthos's sohee companion; thankful for the sohee's unique ability. She had been chanting prayers since the beginning of the battle and her voice was beginning to get hoarse. Yelling would silence her completely. 'Khaesilya, tell Makaelthos that this fight can't last any longer. My squad can't prevent much more casualties!' She called out mentally; hoping that Khaesilya would quickly pick her thoughts up.

Sure enough, Khaesilya caught the message and relayed the message to her master. In battle, she constantly listened for the outward thoughts of her master and his five companions. She had told them of ways to catch her attention so she could serve as a messenger. This task became complicated during the heat of battle though as she had to focus on defending, attacking and listening. She looked about, worried for her master's safety even when a trio of Moonlight Flower's sohee's floated towards her. Eyes, feral with rage, widened when they focused on her._ "Ascaer'nae Khaesilya!" _They wailed in unison. They surrounded her; brandishing their stilettos and their long, black hair flying about as if stirred by violent winds. Khaesilya raised her own blade.

"You call me slave even though you are but pawns of Moonlight Flower!" She answered them in Pronteran; provoking them further. The first one flew in from behind her; trying to stab her from behind. She stepped to her left, turned half-way, and brought her stiletto up; catching her enemy's face. Blood sprayed across the sleeve of her robes and the enemy sohee wailed in pain; blood streaming from a diagonal cut across her face. The other two closed in; their faces contorted with rage.

Makaelthos received the Khaesilya's telepathic message even as he joined the fray between the three immortals. He looked around; piecing together a plan as he did. 'Khaesilya, tell Silmeia and Trenzein to conserve their remaining energy and join me here.' He said mentally. 'Tell Eliarainne to move as well.' He edged around the fight carefully. To rush into a clash of three different immortals was suicide. Residual blasts of fire and lightning from Moonlight's spells alone arced from their fight; searing the ground near his feet.

Khaesilya whirled about; her blade whipping in an arc to keep the two remaining sohees at bay when she received her master's answer. She was about to relay it to his three companions when a sudden sharp pain in her back brought her up short. Almost immediately, she knew that she had been stabbed. She grit her teeth from the pain. She knew better than to immediately turn on her attacker lest the other two finish her off while she was distracted. Out of the corner of her vision, she saw that it was the third sohee; its face completely crimson. The sohee had crawled from behind Khaesilya and brought a stilleto up. The pain to her side was excruciating; Khaesilya feared that something vital had been hit. Dying did not frighten her as much as the thought that, with her gone, her master was isolated with three immortals fighting around him. She ignored the pain for now. Her master's message must be sent!

Silmeia was already moving when Khaesilya told her Makaelthos's message. She had felt the sohee's pain while they conversed telepathically. 'Khaesilya, are you hurt?' She asked worriedly. When Khaesilya did not respond at once, Silmeia knew the answer. 'Wait there, I'll come and heal you!'

Khaesilya's mental voice was resolute as Silmeia heard it in her mind. 'No! Master Makaelthos has asked you to conserve your energy. You must not waste any healing spells on me!'

Silmeia let her second-in-command take over the division. It was always bad news when Makaelthos requested for her aid in a battle. 'Stay alive, Khaesilya!' She called out with her mind. 'I'll come back for you as soon as I can!' She hurried over to Makaelthos's side. A cutlass came her way as a skeletal pirate, one of the few remaining animate ones, broke free of one knight and jumped straight at her. The rusted blade snapped in two when it struck the spell she erected around herself. She grit her teeth in frustration and ignored the skeleton; there was no way she was going to let the sohee die when she could help her! Eliarainne and Trenzein joined her as they made their way to the crusader. "Makaelthos!" She called out to him.

Silmeia's voice carried over to Makaelthos while he slammed his shield against Eddga's snout. He pushed the tiger-creature back and stepped away from the fight. Moonlight was busy pummeling Drake with fire bolts while the pirate captain countered with even more water balls. "We need to keep these two busy!" He shouted in return. He staggered back to his companions. His armor was ripped open in several places, clear marks of Eddga's raw strength. Eliarainne nodded in agreement and spurred Bristle on. She clashed against Eddga's massive form; knocking the tiger-creature down, and looked back to her companions. "I'll handle these two! Finish Drake already!" She called out.

Moonlight pointed a paw at Eliarainne, causing a barrage of icicles to strike at ther. She turned her attention to the cat-being and set her lance on its rest on Bristle's saddle. She pulled out a javelin from the pair strapped behind her mount and hurled it at the cat-being. The javelin shot from her hand; gashing Moonlight's left side. Before Moonlight could react, she had closed in the distance between them, lance in hand.

Makaelthos made his way towards Drake; the skeletal captain seemed to smile as he raised his remaining arm in a "come on" fashion. Makaelthos's saber locked against his cutlass once more. "This is it then, crusader. Fate has ganged all of you up against me. If I must die…then let me give you a taste of death as well!" The words came out as a hiss even though no breath slipped between his remaining teeth.

Makaelthos struggled to hold his own against Drake. Though one-handed, the pirate captain pushed against him with incredible strength. In a burst of power, the skeletal captain pushed him down. The cutlass waved menacingly; cutting deeply into the already crumpled elunium plate that was his right shoulder plate. The blade bit into his shoulder though not deeply enough to severely affect the use of his arm. He struggled to stand up while Drake hacked at him wildly. Looking past the cutlass as it flickered about in front of him; he found an opening and thrust his sword towards the skeleton captain. The blade went through Drake's chest; breaking several ribs. He slashed down; destroying most of the ribcage. The pirate captain ignored the injury however and brought a cutlass down on him. The blade gashed a vicious wound on the side of his head. Blood, thick gouts of it, began to flow down his face. Makaelthos staggered backwards; the streaming, warm liquid on his face flowing past his left eye. With his remaining eye, he glanced at his companions. Eliarainne waved her lance about to keep both Moonlight and Eddga at bay. She suffered from several injuries including a large tear on her right side. The armor around the area had been ripped open and blood flowed freely from the wound. Eddga did not gloat at his handiwork though. While he suffered only light gouges from the knight's lance, he knew he was being delayed from the business at hand. Even Moonlight was furious at the distraction. 'They're ready…about time.' He thought. Silmeia was in place and so was Trenzein. Ignoring his weakened vision; Makaelthos faced the pirate captain once more. They locked swords again, this time he broke the deadlock by stepping aside. He pushed Drake behind him and moved back. The pirate captain whipped about and prepared to attack again when he remembered the priestess and the wizard.

"What are those two…No!" Drake cried out. It was too late when he realized the situation he was in. He raised a hand to conjure the spheres of water that would break the green-haired wizard's concentration. It was too late; a sphere of lightning erupted from the wizard's hands striking what remained of his chest. Electricity coursed through his body; charring the edges of his bones and completely burning some of them to cinders even as the sphere flung him back.

Straight towards the crusader.

Makaelthos closed his eyes and concentrated. A prayer came to his mind even as holy energy flowed from his being and into his sword. The light seeped liked water into the blade, coating it in radiance. Soon the steel of the saber was no longer visible. Anyone had to squint just to look at the weapon; which appeared to have transformed into pure light. His sword struck Drake as the pirate captain flew towards him. The blade struck true; piercing Drake's body from behind. The holy energy exploded from his sword' forming a brilliant, white, cross-shaped explosion that centered on him. A hollow scream erupted from Drake's rapidly disintegrating mouth as his undead body took the brunt of the explosion. Holy energy coursed through his body; mingling with the electricity of the wizard's spell.

Drake stared defiantly at Makaelthos. The lights within the sockets of his skull still glowing brightly. "Not…yet! You haven't won anything!" He hissed.

That was when the Magnus struck.

Silmeia fell to one knee as she expended the last of her energy on one final Magnus Exorcismus. A huge explosion rocked the battle field, an explosion so powerful that it knocked back Moonlight and Eddga. The cat-being struggled to get near the blast while Makaelthos dragged himself away from it. His body was smoking when he fell to his knees several feet away from the light. "No! Drake's essence is-!" Moonlight shouted.

The skeleton captain tried to follow Makaelthos and bring his cutlass down for one last time. His body was trailing white light as he made his way out of the main blast. His arm turned into ash before it could strike the lightbearer's kneeling form. Furious, he lunged towards Makaelthos and tried to bite him. His lower jaw fell off; crumbling to ash when it hit the stone ground. His corsair few from his head; carried away by a nightly breeze. He stopped and stared at it for a while; following it as it gently floated towards the sea. His skeletal legs crumbled into ash; sending the rest of him crashing to the ground. As soon as he did hit the stone pavement of Alberta's harbor, he was nothing more but a pile of cold ash.

'So the war finally claims its first immortal.' Makaelthos thought. For a moment, he watched as the corsair floated for a while before taking in water and sinking. He then returned his focus on the remaining tasks at hand. Seeing to his companions and dealing with the remaining immortals. As a lightbearer, he was trained to work with holy energy; which allowed him to survive the blast of Silmeia's Magnus Exorcismus. He still suffered burns though and his legs were wobbly.

Silmeia struggled to stand up. She was beyond the limits of her stamina. Her body trembled uncontrollably and refused to follow when she tried to move it. 'Please remain alive, Khaesilya! I'm coming!' She called out mentally; silently praying that the sohee still heard her. She felt someone tugging at her; pulling her up to her feet and helping her stay upright.

Trenzein helped the priestess rise even as he checked to see how Eliarainne was doing. She had pushed Eddga back with her lance while Moonlight turned his gaze furiously on her.

"You! If you hadn't distracted me, I could have finished him off myself!" Moonlight screamed. His paws crackled with magical energy as he approached the wounded cavalier. Makaelthos was about to help his partner when he noticed a huge figure materialize behind her.

The sight of the creature caused even Moonlight and Eddga to hesitate.

Eliarainne panted as she watched her enemies curiously; gulping down air as if she was drowning. In truth, she was on her last legs and Bristle was barely able to carry her in his exhaustion. She had been fighting continuously against two powerful immortals when one of them possessed enough power to destroy her. It was strange that they were hesitating to attack.

Then she felt it. The presence of something ominously large behind her. She watched as her shadow in front of her was covered by the shadow of something enormous. She could make out a pair of curving horns and a bearded snout.

Makaelthos opened his mouth to shout a warning. He knew that it was impossible even for Eliarainne to fight against the new arrival. Before he could shout, though, the building behind him suddenly exploded. A figure fell from the explosion; rolling on the ground before stopping before him. He noticed the bandaged figure at once. "Osiris!" He blurted out.

Osiris stood up and switched to a martial stance. Some of the bandages on his body flew about in tatters. The edges of the ancient cloth were charred, as if the mummy had been exposed to blasts of fire. "Save your friend, Solcry!" He growled. "Do you think demons believe in mercy?"

Makaelthos turned towards Eliarainne. Even as he shouted a warning, a large, furred hand grabbed Eliarainne's shoulder. "Eliarainne" He shouted. "It's Baphomet!"

Hideously deep laughter boomed from the goat-demon's throat. "It looks like we arrived too late!" He laughed. "Damn that Osiris and his swordsman friend! Very well, let me have something to compensate then!"

There was no knight, wizard or priest who didn't tremble at the sight of Baphomet. His red-orange fur was stained with crimson and illuminated by moonlight. He was massive; towering even over Eddga. With his right hand he carried an enormous scythe; its curved edge gleaming wickedly in the moonlight as he rested it against his shoulder. With his other hand, he had lifted Eliarainne from her mount. A massive hoof slammed against Bristle; knocking him to the ground. Baphomet opened his mouth; revealing wickedly sharp teeth. The knight struggled to free herself; beating at his face with gauntleted hands when he bit down on her right shoulder.

Eliarainne screamed despite her attempt to bear the pain quietly. The pain was unlike anything she had experienced before. The demon's jaws clamped down on her shoulder with the force of a blacksmith's vise. Her armor crumpled as she felt her shoulder bone crack. She fought to stay conscious. Her right arm fell to her side as Baphomet savored the blood that flowed from the terrible wound.

Makaelthos dashed forward, his sword in hand. "Eliarainne!" He shouted again.

After a few seconds of struggling, the knight's arms went limp when Baphomet released her. The demon laughed and licked his lips; blood dripping down his mouth and soaking his beard. "Simply savory, that's what I love about you knights; you have the constitution to make torture truly satisfying!" He grunted. He tossed aside the unconscious knight and raised his scythe. "I can see two immortals right in front of me." He sneered. "Who wants to feed me first?"

Moonlight's eyes narrowed. Even at his full power he would be hard pressed against Baphomet's raw might. At his wounded state, even with Eddga's assistance, Moonlight knew that he would lose. "Eddga! We'll have to retreat!" He called to his partner.

The tiger-being grunted in agreement, He had seen enough combat for the night. A battle with Baphomet was the last thing he needed. Before the two immortals could retreat though Osiris pointed at another tall figure that emerged from the rubble of the ruined building. The doppelganger backed away from the figure. He was clearly injured; there were burn marks on his back and arms. Eddga recognized the shadowy cape that hung from the spiked, bony plates on the immortal's shoulders and the burning points of light in the figure's empty eye sockets. "Abraxil Sovivor...The Dark Lord himself." He growled.

The skeletal figure looked around him. The battle had finally receded to a few knights battling the last of the ancient mummies and nightmares. Of the thirty nights that fought only six remained fighting. The rest were either badly injured or dead. A lone sohee stood among the knights; she was obviously hurt though. Blood stained her clothes and stiletto; a sign that she personally killed the sohees that lay about her. The Dark lord looked at his partner. "We've come too late, Baphomet!" He said. "We'll have to leave for now." He said.

Osiris watched as Makaelthos lifted the injured, female knight in his arms. The priestess stared in frustration at the injury and produced a roll of bandages. The mummy knew that she had run out of energy.

The goat-demon bared his bloody fangs. There was no one in the battlefield who looked strong enough to satisfy his sadism. These lumps of living flesh were too tender for the moment. "Very well. Celebrate life while you can, mortals. Before Baphomet tears your heart out before you."

The Dark lord and Baphomet vanished. Immediately, so did Moonlight and Eddga. Osiris walked over to Makaelthos. "We had the misfortune of running into them before the fight. Consider yourself lucky, Solcry. The next time an immortal falls, you will find me standing over its remains."

Osiris and the doppelganger departed as well, leaving the mortals with what was left.

* * *

**World notes**

**Ascaer'nae Khaesilya -**Sohees speak their own tongue, simply called "sohee" among the humans of Rune-Midgard. This phrase directly translates to "Khaesilya the slave". Other non-human languages include Orcish, Kobold, Goblin, Minorus, Annolian and Merman. Human languages include Pronteran (the common language), High Pronteran, Morrocan, Morrocan Back Alley, Geffenese, Amatsunese, Kunlunese, Al de baranese, Luthian, Comodan, Junoan, Payonese and Albertan. Dead languages include Glastheimian, Ancient Morrocan and Elvish.


	13. Aftermath

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 11: Aftermath**

'_Terror.'_

_The lone thought entered her mind with such ease that it was frightening. In front of her was a band of swordsmen; young men who looked as if they were only in the beginnings of their training. Their faces were twisted into half-screams and whimpers; hesitations that turned their sword arms into useless jelly and their legs into stumbling vegetables. Their movements told her that they knew how far beyond their league they were. It didn't matter to her. They deserved to die for even thinking of ambushing her._

'_Despair.'_

_She grinned; more baring her teeth than showing any mirth, when some of the swordsmen dropped their weapons. They knew how useless their swords were in this situation. A sword could not match a lance when it came to sheer reach. That, combined with their opponent's mastery of her weapon, as well as the destructive power of a lance used in a charge, made it certain that they were all going to die. The fight was over before it could begin._

'_Slaughter.'_

_Her grin widened as her lance punctured the back of one swordsman. It went through the young man's heart and burst through his ribcage, killing him instantly and splattering thick gouts of his lifeblood all over his companions' faces. The other swordsmen ran. They were no match for a mounted knight; to stay was to be killed. A javelin flew forward. Its flight was echoed by the dying scream of a fleeing swordsman as the force of the throw split his head asunder._

'_Pain.'_

_Only one swordsman remained alive after her brutal attack and he knew that he wouldn't stay that way for long. The lance seemed almost alive in her hand as it impaled the swordsman's stomach. She raised her lance; lifting the swordsman along with it. The swordsman screamed as his body slid down the lance. To his horror, she laughed, a harsh and pitiless laugh, at his pain._

'_Realization.'_

_The swordsman slid to the ground, dead. She looked around again; suddenly sick at the sight of blood everywhere. The metallic smell wafted towards her, surrounded her, slid past the visor of her helmet and sent her reeling. What had she been doing? A quick look around her surroundings told her everything. She had massacred a group of swordsmen. Nausea crept up her throat. How could she be responsible for this…this atrocity?_

'_Consequences.'_

_She turned around; only to find a squad of hunters behind her. The expression of horror could be seen on their faces as they stared at her bloodied figure._

'_Death.'_

_The arrows flew, striking her on the chest. The oridecon-tipped shafts punched through the elunium plates with ease; finding her flesh beneath. The pain was sudden and overwhelming. It ran like lightning from her chest to her entire body. She didn't even feel the pain of hitting the ground. She had not bothered to defend herself. This would be her penance._

'_Oblivion.'_

_The sight faded into nothing; soul-numbing darkness that somehow felt welcome. This would be her end._

* * *

Eliarainne's eyes fluttered open. Her hair, damp and cold with sweat, clung to her face. She closed her eyes and consciously slowed her breathing; allowing the nightmare to recede like a bad night's drinking. She looked around her; instinctively trying to get her bearings. The memory of the previous battle trickled back to mind. She felt around her shoulder, wincing when she realized that it was still a little sore.

"Good to see you're awake." Silmeia spoke. She stood beside Eliarainne's bed and smiled in relief. Eliarainne was the most severely wounded among the injured. It took a lot from her to close the terrible wound that Baphomet inflicted on her friend.

Makaelthos was seated next to Silmeia; a look of concern evident on his face. The frightened, confused state in which his partner woke into did not sit in well with him. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

Eliarainne looked at her hand; relieved to find no blood on it. Silmeia must have healed her as soon as the radiant regained so much as a small fraction of energy. Baphomet's fangs had bitten deeply into her flesh. The bones beneath actually cracked at the force. While Silmeia's healing was strong enough to stop the bleeding, close the wound and mend the fractures; the rest of her recovery had to come from rest. "It's still a bit sore but I'll be fine." she answered. "How long was I out?" she asked in return.

Makaelthos relaxed a bit and settled himself on his chair. Eliarainne noticed the lines of fatigue on his face. It looked as if he hadn't slept since the battle. She remembered the grand cross he had unleashed. The resulting blast of holy energy affected the human body as well. Some lightbearers had been known to die in their own grand crosses. That, combined with exposure to Silmeia's Magnus Exorcismus must have been extremely painful for him. "All night and all morning." he replied. "Do you think you can travel by a warp spell? We should be reporting to Prontera already."

Eliarainne rose from her bed shakily. The thought of delaying the mission because she was too weak was too embarrassing to consider. She had to set an example for her men. "I'll manage. How are the others?" she asked.

Silmeia's expression darkened when she answered the question. Already Eliarainne feared the worst. "I've lost two priests in the fight." Silmeia replied. "Trenzein has reported two casualties from the wizards as well. Your division has lost five knights. The others are badly wounded but recuperating."

Eliarainne sat back down. The loss of five veteran cavaliers was going to take its toll on her division. They would have to be replaced by less-experienced knights and that didn't bode well with this war among the immortals.

Makaelthos rose from his seat and turned to leave. Even though he was no Knight Commander, his tone brooked no disobedience. "We'll leave later this afternoon." he said. "Get some rest, Eliarainne. You still look pale from blood loss. I don't want to risk you aggravating your injuries."

Eliarainne forced herself to lie down as Makaelthos closed the door behind him. It was a blow to her pride that he did not consider her strong enough to travel by a warp portal. She bit back an impulse to argue with him for treating her like some delicate flower. The expression on his face told her that he wasn't going to budge. "Thanks for the concern." she muttered.

Silmeia smiled at her friend's sarcastic remark. "It's probably better for Makaelthos as well, Rainne." she said; trying to mollify her. "He hasn't slept a wink since he carried you to this makeshift hospital. The same could be said for Khaesilya. They could both use a nap before heading back to Prontera."

Eliarainne's smiled wryly. That was Makaelthos alright. Of all people, he spared himself least. Khaesilya had her worried though. She remembered catching a glimpse of the sohee just before she charged Eddga. "I saw her get stabbed by one of Moonlight's sohees. How is she?" she asked.

A hint of concern cast a shadow on the priestess's smile. "She'll be alright." she replied. "She's more worried about Makaelthos than herself, even though her injuries are much worse than his."

Eliarainne tried to relax. She didn't bother trying to sleep though. The nightmare was still fresh in her mind. Why would she dream that anyway? Silmeia turned to leave as well. "I'll have to attend to the others, Rainne." she said. "I'll come back when it's time to leave."

* * *

Silmeia closed the door behind her and sighed. She did not mention to her friend that, for a moment, as Eliarainne lay close to death, she had frozen of a second; paralyzed by a sudden mixture of rage and grief at the thought losing a friend to a demon. Perhaps she had only imagined it. But, as she looked back to that time, it was a frightening moment. It wasn't the time to burden anyone with an event that may or may not have happened. She knew hat she had to remain strong for everyone. Despair was spreading even among the Second Priest Division's members and it seemed that the sight of their head priestess standing strong alone gave them courage. Baphomet's unholy alliance with the Dark lord had clearly shaken them. Silmeia made her way to Khaesilya's temporary room. The owner of the building had allowed Prontera's troops to use the place as a makeshift hospital. Along the way, she thought back to that particular negotiation. Makaelthos had to convince the merchant to let them stay. Not that he had bothered to say anything. He presented a terrifying sight back then. With Eliarainne's bloodied, limp body in his arms, a smoking saber in one hand and a number of battle-weary soldiers behind him; all he had to do was to glare at the merchant for even trying to consider refusing. She wondered what would have happened if Makaelthos had been refused.

"Still working?" someone from behind her suddenly asked. "Why don't you take a break yourself, Sil?"

She shook her head and smiled at the wizard in front of her. Trenzein had suffered some wounds himself. Even a brainless skeleton could tell that his spells devastated the enemy the most and it wasn't surprising that many of the monsters aimed for him. "You know I can't rest until I make sure everyone is alright, Trenzein." she answered him.

Trenzein stared at the priestess for a while. Silmeia was the very picture of fatigue. He surmised that every bit of energy she recovered immediately went back out as another healing spell. Her normally dark brown eyes were dull with fatigue and her long, vibrant, black hair fell limp across her shoulders. Her arms sagged to her sides and her pace was slow and labored. He tensed when she looked like she was about to collapse. When she righted herself, he sighed and walked next to her. "I'll accompany you for a while before you completely collapse." he said. "I can handle some of the minor wounds anyway."

Silmeia nodded her appreciation and entered the sohee's room. She remembered how she helped carry the badly injured sohee to this room. Through her own pain, Khaesilya was inquiring about Makaelthos's injuries. Even now as she entered the room, she was greeted by the sohee's concerned stare. Khaesilya's waist-long, black hair spilled around the white sheets of her bed. Red eyes; liquid with concern unlike the feral glare of other sohees, watched Silmeia worriedly. "How is Master Makaelthos?" she asked.

Silmeia waved a hand to dismiss the sohee's worries. Sometimes, she believed that Khaesilya was too devoted to Makaelthos at the expense of her own safety. The stab wound proved that she was no kin to other sohees. In fact, Silmeia could only imagine how much Khaesilya's race hated her for serving humans. "Makaelthos is fine, Khaesilya." she answered. "He's probably asleep, as you should be. How are you feeling?

Khaesilya was silent for a while. She was relieved that her master was finally asleep. She had been worried since she heard that he refused to rest until he was certain that his partner was well. "The pain is almost gone." she replied. "I believe I can travel already."

Trenzein looked at Silmeia and smiled triumphantly. "There! Your patients are fine, Silmeia!" he said. "Get some rest already!"

Silmeia smiled wearily and headed for her room. She was glad that Khaesilya and the rest of the troops were fine. She could hardly stand after the last Magnus Exorcismus she had cast on Drake. It was a strain to have to heal the injured when she had barely enough energy to keep awake. "If you must insist." she conceded. "I'm off for a few hours of sleep."

Trenzein nodded in return. He had guessed that a few hours rest was all they were going to have as soon as they returned to Prontera. Not that he minded it. though. Since he wasn't really part of the Second Wizard Division, he had no report to make like Makaelthos, Eliarainne and Silmeia. As soon as they got back, all he was expecting to do was to lounge about in his home.

* * *

The return to Prontera proceeded as Makaelthos planned. As soon as the priests had rested, they opened the warp portals for the capital. Everyone was breathing the city air in the space of a few moments. Eliarainne walked with Makaelthos as they headed for the Grand Knight Commander's office. They had to make a report on the events that occurred. Trenzein had quickly departed for his own home to relax. Silmeia found herself looking for Agranias. She still had plenty of questions for him.

"Second Head Priestess Cafilence!" someone from behind her called.

Silmeia closed her eyes in frustration. She had a feeling that she knew what came after such a greeting. Sure enough, it was a swordsman from the Fourth Knight Division with a message.

"Skirmisher Gardzen has requested that you witness his duel in the arena, ma'am."

Silmeia glanced at the direction of Prontera's arena. It was a written law that any duel between citizens must be fought there. Prontera had ways to settle quarrels among its citizenry and one of them was to let them fight it out in the arena. It made sure that they didn't destroy city property; something that was likely to happen should a pair of wizards start blasting spells at each other. Death in the arena was possible although acolytes and priests were always around to prevent it. While these duels were seldom lethal, the results often varied from a bruised pride to serious injury. Gardzen loved to duel in the arena. He loved showing off his prowess in front of spectators, especially if one of them happened to be a certain radiant. Not that she was fond of watching arena duels. "Who's he picking on this time?" was all she could say about the matter. Silmeia sighed. Eliarainne usually put a damper on most of the big knight's bullying. Rainne was in no condition to do that however. Knowing that her non-attendance would simply provoke Gardzen to further mistreat his victim, she decided to go.

The messenger's voice possessed an edge of curiosity as he answered her question. "He duels with Sir Agranias, ma'am. I'm off to watch it myself. Sir Gardzen claims that Sir Agranias has insulted you and he is defending your honor. Sir Agranias denies it but still accepted the challenge."

Silmeia's eyes narrowed. Skirmisher Gardzen had taken advantage of her absence to take his revenge on Agranias! What was worse was that he hid everything under the excuse of defending her! She quickened her pace. Perhaps she could put a stop to everything. Gardzen may be pompous and a bully but he did possess some skill in fighting.

Silmeia reached the arena in time to see Gardzen's claymore swing directly towards Agranias's armored chest.

* * *

**World notes**

**The Pronteran Arena -**the arena is a large, circular building found by the western side of Prontera. It serves both as a center for various games and a place for duels to take place. Its seats can accommodate nearly half of the city's population. Fighting in public outside the arena is highly frowned upon by pronteran society and has stiff penalties ranging from fines to temporary exiles. Prontera, however, acknowledges that some conflicts can only be settled with combat and the arena, built as early as 120 PT, provides the proper time and place.

**Dueling - **Dueling has been a long accepted practice in Prontera, having existed ever since the city's founding. While it is often used to settle simple disputes, it is no substitute for legal matters. All duels must take place in the Pronteran Arena. Duels in the city outside the arena are considered brawls and are immediately subdued by the pronteran patrols. A duel must be formally issued and accepted before it can occur in the arena. Once acceptance takes place, a specific time is set by an arena official. Anyone challenged has the right to refuse and a challenger can withdraw a challenge any time before the actual duel. Real weapons are used but fighting to the death is not allowed. Nevertheless, deaths sometimes occur despite the staff of priests and acolytes at hand to prevent such incidents. Surrender must be accepted as soon as it is offered. Striking a downed opponent or intentionally trying to kill him/her is faced with severe prosecution. Spectators are allowed and often encouraged by the participants. Only people of age eighteen and above are allowed to duel.


	14. Armored darkness

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 12: Armored Darkness**

_**"We shall make our base deep in their desert. Scout ahead with your troop, Agranias, destroy any who would lay eyes upon you."**_

_The Lord of Death's orders were simple enough and Agranias executed them to the letter. Riding at the head of the abysmal knight troop; he scanned the endless stretch of sand for anyone who might be a witness to the coming of his lord's army. The noon sun beat on his helm mercilessly; heating the metal until it burned to the touch. He wasn't bothered however. The only irritation he had about the sun was that it made vision slightly difficult. Though hindered, his vision did pick up a small grove of trees. An oasis. He raised a hand to stop the rest of the troop. His second rode beside him; bow already in hand. "Stay here and watch for anyone leaving that oasis." __he ordered them __"I will see if there are possible witnesses within." His second nodded and the rest of the troop moved into formation. Without another word, he rode into the stand of trees. _

_The sand kept his horse's hoof falls silent enough to sneak up on the unwary and no one could possibly expect to encounter an abysmal knight in this place. His horse, Domnadriel, slowed to walking pace as soon as he was a few feet away from the first tree. He parted some leaves as he entered the grove. If there were any people here, they would be by the water. The oasis was actually large, once he had neared it. It was made up of several pools of water and surrounded by trees all around. It was by one pool, one of the smaller ones, that he encountered someone. 'A human female, wearing purple cloth, a dress with a holy symbol on the chest. A priestess.' he carefully analyzed the person. She was kneeling by pool by herself, staring at the reflected image. Domnadriel took another step. This time, his hoof make a muffled thud on the sand. At the sound of it, the priestess looked up. Her eyes widened in horror when she realized what stood in front of her. Agranias drew his sword from its sheath. The black blade did not gleam in the desert sun, as if it were more a hole that sucked in even light. "You have seen me and must now die." was all that he told her before spurring Domnadriel to a trot. In response, she raised a hand. A blast of concentrated light struck him on the chest but the force did not so much as make him hesitate. He rode on, his sword ready for a killing stroke._

_"Lystra! What's going on? Oh God, why is there an abysmal knight here!" someone cried out from behind the priestess. _

_Agranias spurred Domnadriel on. There were more people here and they all had to die. Domnadriel suddenly reared up as an enormous wall of ice, seemingly conjured from the air, materialized in front of him. Several men; wizards from the way they dressed, had joined the priestess. One of them helped her to her feet while the others began casting spells. He recovered with ease and brought his dark sword down on the wall. The ice shattered like cracked glass and Domnadriel moved on. More walls appeared in succession in front of him but he dealt with them with the same ease as he did the first. Before one wizard could finish casting his next spell, Agranias was already upon him. Domnadriel reared up, plunging the man in shadow. His hooves came down with brutal force, smashing bones and trampling the man into the bloody sand. The other wizard tried to run back but the abysmal knight's blade found the middle of his shoulder blades; slicing right through as if it were cutting tenderized meat. The priestess sent another blast of holy light at him but he ignored them as if they were flies landing on his armor. She cast the spells frantically until her wizard companion dragged her away._

_"There's no way we can match it! We have to get away!" the wizard told her. A logical choice. At least one of them was thinking. Another wizard and a pair of priests came into the pool as well. One of the priests started a prayer and a small pool of swirling light appeared by his feet. _

_Agranias recognized the warp portal and moved to kill the caster before they escaped. A single escapee would be disastrous for his mission. Before he could even near the man, however, an arrow, black and large enough to be a small javelin, suddenly found its mark on the priest's chest. The swirling light vanished and he fell over dead long before his companions could even begin to heal him. "Aelumina!" Agranias cursed silently. Once more, his second had gone ahead without his instructions. He was going to have to discipline her again. Sure enough, the entire troop burst into the oasis; riding at top speed despite the foliage. Trees snapped and plants were trampled as they barged into the area. Another black arrow flew through the air; striking the remaining priest dead. All that was left was the wizard and the priestess that Agranias first encountered. They had run a good distance but another black arrow had found its mark on the wizard's leg; forcing him to hobble away from the oasis. Unless the priestess abandoned him and ran, they were going to get caught. Suddenly, the priestess stood still and began casting a spell. Before Aelumina could fire on her, she had completed a warp portal. She heaved the wizard into the swirling light before collapsing. The portal had closed only a few seconds after opening. Realizing that a survivor had escaped, Agranias suddenly turned to face his second; his dark sword whipping about and pointing directly at her. "Shoot another arrow, Aelumina, and you will lose your right hand." he warned. The priestess was as good as dead but there was something about her actions that struck him strange. He had to ride to her alone._

_Seeing her death ride out to her, the lone priestess stood up; her legs shaking more out of fatigue than fear. Agranias towered over her; casting her in shadow. His dark sword pointed directly at her chest. "Why did you do that?" he asked. _

_The priestess was taken aback. Though he had spoken to her earlier, she still seemed unused to the idea of this armored monster. "What?" she replied._

_Agranias repeated his question; adding some observation as well. "If you jumped into the portal you could have escaped. Why doom yourself and let him live?" he asked.  
_

_She was silent for a while. Agranias looked at her carefully. She looked very young, perhaps at the very beginning of priestesshood. Her hair was combed to one side; almost falling over one eye. It reached up to her shoulders. Her pale skin was reddened by too much sun. Despite her fear, she stared defiantly at Agranias through dark brown eyes. For a brief moment, he felt that she could see what he looked like underneath his helm. Finally, she answered. "I cannot live with myself knowing I could have saved a life but didn't. For a friend's life, I will give mine."_

_"He is not your liege. Nothing is to be gained should he be the one to live instead of you. It is a pointless trade you have made, priestess, one that you would come out of worse than before." Agranias replied. He prepared to stab the priestess. Perhaps her decision was nothing more but the product of being out in this sun for too long._

_"It was not a trade, abysmal knight." __the priestess answered. "__A gift of my life is what I gave him. You may not believe me but I have not come out of it worse off. If you can only look at the world through lieges and servants. You will not understand it."  
_

_Agranias paused for a while. She was addled for sure but she did not exhibit other symptoms of delirium or any confusion due to heat. There was something in the way she stared back at him that made it feel like she stood on an equal footing with him. Before he could reply, however, the sound of hoof falls resounded behind him. Aelumina had led the troop forward yet again._

_"What are you waiting for?" Aelumina asked. "Finish her!"_

_Agranias hesitated a bit more until he saw the priestess raise a hand for one last spell. His right arm moved on its own; plunging his dark sword into her chest. She looked at the blade for the moment and then at him. Her gaze seemed to look past the slits in his helm before she fell face forward into the sand. Cursing silently, Agranias whipped his sword about to clean it of blood._

_"You hesitated, Agranias." Aelumina sneered._

_In response, Agranias backhanded her. She fell off her mount at the force of the blow but quickly regained her footing. He stared down at her before riding on. The mission was a failure, someone had survived their assault. Still, the damage would be minimal. All that wizard saw was a troop of abysmal knights. He would have no idea that they were but the tip of a far greater threat. "Pick yourself up, Aelumina. You will be punished for this." he answered her. The punishment would come later though. They still had plenty of distance to cover._

_And more killing to do._

* * *

Agranias suddenly woke up to find himself inside the infirmary. The priestess, Silmeia, had asked him to stay there for at least a day. His gaze fell upon the portrait even as he cleared his head of memories. "Lystra." he spoke the name softly. "So that was your name. I wish I had known you through different circumstances. Is it fate that brought me to your sister instead?" He rose from the bed and prepared to leave. He had completely recovered from his wounds anyway.

"Not so fast, black boy!" someone bellowed.

Agranias found himself face to face with the knight he had encountered yesterday. This Gardzen Haelungrein irked him with his bluster and acted as if he could beat someone like him easily. He did not fear this man's power. He was not so special. He was tall for an ordinary person; over six feet in height with broad shoulders and a large torso. He was heavy for his height and that weight did not come from mere fat. Agranias was not impressed. He had slain thousands like him without pity. 'Him again.' he thought. He refused to simply kill the man, as was his usual practice when someone seemed to be challenging him. He was among people once again and he had to look for the proper ways to react to this.

Sir Gardzen raised himself to full height. It didn't matter to him that the knight he was trying to intimidate stood a foot taller than him. "Sialsanderin isn't here to save your hide, black boy!" he sneered. "I'm going to teach you a lesson for distracting Silmeia!"

Agranias still couldn't relate to the knight's problem. Why was it so important for Silmeia to watch him? He didn't want any trouble though. If he fought here, someone might recognize him. Worse; he might kill someone again. He tried some simple reasoning. He knew that much at least. "I don't want to fight you, knight." he offered.

Gardzen grinned mercilessly. This Agranias was big but he acted like a complete pushover. "Of course you don't." he answered. "No one wants to get in the arena with Gardzen Haelungrein! You'll have to any way! I'll be waiting in the arena, pretty boy!"

Agranias sighed in relief as the knight walked away. He was determined to avoid the arena at all costs.

* * *

Agranias spent the whole morning wandering the streets of Prontera. The peaceful atmosphere of the bustling metropolis brought a slight smile to his lips. He had never seen a place so…alive. The streets were free of the violence and darkness of Glastheim. Ever since he awakened, he had only known the silence of a desolate battlefield. Prontera's atmosphere was a relaxing change. People in the streets greeted him as a knight even though many were perplexed by his black armor. He also appreciated how he could walk past a group of knights without having to slay them. 'This kind of life.' he thought. 'I wonder why the Lord of Death would want to destroy this.'

Agranias watched the way Prontera's citizens interacted with each other with such interest that he didn't notice the time go by. The afternoon sun soon shed its light on him. He continued to watch as a group of acolytes approached him. "You're Sir Agranias right?" one of them asked.

The acolytes that stood in front of Agranias were mostly young girls. There were three of them. He guessed that they were in the earlier part of the training. For some reason, he could not imagine standing over their remains even though it was but a few days ago when he could have done so without a second thought. "Yes, I am Agranias." he answered. He remained seated so he didn't have to look down on them. The lead acolyte, the oldest looking one in their group, stared indignantly at him. Blue eyes seemed to quiver with fear and indignation at the same time. The other two kept behind her; giving and taking support at the same time.

"How could you say that about Head Priestess Cafilence?" she asked. "She found you and took care of you and now you're spreading such vile rumors!"

Agranias raised an eyebrow. "What? I have done no such thing!" he answered.

The acolytes looked perplexed at Agranias's answer. He reached only one conclusion. 'That noisy fool, Gardzen!'

* * *

Word quickly spread among Prontera's knights. "The knight in black" as they had called him, Sir Agranias had accepted Skirmisher Gardzen's challenge to clear his name of the knight's accusation.

When one of the arena's officials began to explain the rules of dueling to him, Agranias encountered some difficulty understanding the concept of it. Fighting someone with steel and trying not to kill was perplexing to him. He was too used to seeing death occur with each swing of his arm. Their match was set in the late afternoon. A few hours seemed to fly by. He found himself in the arena; facing a fully armored Gardzen who came at him with a claymore. He was given a two-handed sword when the knights realized that he did not carry a weapon. Gardzen sneered as he urged his pecopeco forward. "This is the end of you, black boy!" he roared.

The claymore swung directly towards Agranias's armored chest.

And promptly bounced right off.

Gardzen's eyes widened in disbelief even as the black-armored knight reached towards him. A pair of hands, with armor-denting grips, lifted him off his feet and hurled him several feet into the air. He crashed several feet away from his opponent; his claymore clattering right next to him. He scrambled for his weapon and stood up; watching his opponent warily. He refused to think that this pushover had just tossed him around like a rag doll.

Agranias stared at Gardzen curiously. He simply could not understand why his opponent was going through so much trouble over the fact that he prevented Silmeia from watching anything. It was best just to ask the man. He doubted if this Gardzen would provide an answer that was the least bit intelligible. "Gardzen, why do you have to go through this?" he asked. "What is it you want from the priestess?"

Gardzen swung his claymore with both hands; aiming at his opponent's legs. To his surprise, Sir Agranias, grabbed the blade in mid-swing and held it in place despite his strongest efforts to push it through or pull it back. The dark-armored knight didn't even look like he was straining from the effort to hold the attack back. Panting, he decided to answer anyway. He wasn't ashamed of his reasons. "Do you want to know why, black boy?" he asked in return.

Gardzen forced a grin as he put his entire weight on his weapon. A crowd had gathered to watch the duel. Many of them were knights who were curious at how well Sir Agranias could fight. They were silent though. It was rare for Gardzen to have so much difficulty over an opponent. "Because I want her, black boy!" he continued. "Her beauty and power…it would be a grand conquest to take her and bend her to my desires."

Gardzen licked his lips as he said these things. Agranias's eyes narrowed with recollection and fury. _"Bend them to my will."_ He only knew one being who said such words.

Agranias's eyes widened. "You sound exactly like him!" he shouted. He snapped the claymore in two. Gardzen stepped back and watched him in disbelief. Fear twisted the skirmisher's face as he tripped and fell on his back. "You are nothing before him!" Agranias continued. "What is your power to his might? Nothing! Less than nothing! Yet speak using his tone and arrogance! How dare you?" Agranias's hand went to the two-handed sword. To his strength it would feel like he was carrying a dagger. It was then that he caught sight of Silmeia standing amidst the crowds. His outrage quickly dissipated like a dying flame. 'No. This man knows nothing after all. I will not kill him." he whispered. He released his sword and smashed his fist on Gardzen's face. His opponent wore no helmet and neither did he. Blood spattered on the ground and dripped from the metal of his gauntlet.

The skirmisher sprawled to the ground. While he had the strength to rise, he dreaded having to face the black-armored monster before him.

Agranias turned his back to the fallen knight. Gardzen's face was a bloody mess. A massive bruise had began to swell and purple on his left cheek. "I will protect this city from him just as I will protect her from you." he said firmly. "This I swear on my new life."


	15. Invasion

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 13: Invasion**

The arrow sped from the huntress's bow with unerring accuracy. Arcing gracefully in the air; it found its target and struck home. The lone high orc was, at least, a hundred feet away when she took the shot. Despite the distance, the arrow pierced the high orc's right eye.

The high orc could only croak out a dying gasp before falling on his side. His bloody, two-handed axe fell uselessly to the ground. With his remaining eye, the high orc tried to get a good look at his killer as it approached. The one with the gakkung was a woman. Despite the blurring vision of his eye, the high orc could notice her shoulder-length, light blue hair from afar. She was slim, lithe and of average height for a female of her race. It was surprising that the ambush party could be wiped out by this woman but that was what happened. She approached the dying orc cautiously. As she got closer, the orc noticed her icy, blue eyes. Neither pity nor fear flickered in those eyes. For a moment, he thought that he was killed by a machine that resembled humans. The woman's pale skin and expressionless stare made it seem that blood did not flow in her veins but ice. He did not harbor these thoughts for long, though. A few seconds more and his remaining eye closed, adding another corpse to the pile of her victims.

Seihanine Xalascent stared grimly at her handiwork as she replaced her weapon behind her. She pulled the arrow out of the dead orc's eye and inspected the point. Judging it to be still useful, she wiped the point off with a bit of cloth and replaced it in her quiver. She looked around to inspect the battle site. It was a costly victory for her and only a minor loss to the orc tribes for along with the bodies of twenty high orcs and ten orc archers lay the bodies of the rest of her twelve-man scouting party. 'Strange indeed.' She thought. 'I've never seen them move like this.' She heard a screech above her followed by the beating of wings. Her sole surviving companion descended from the skies to perch on her padded right shoulder. The falcon stared at the desolate battle field for a while before it shifted its focus on her. Seihanine relaxed her guard for the moment. Her falcon did not notice more foes from afar. "As bad as the situation is, Kalyx, we'll have to go." She told the bird. "The colony must be warned." In response, he squawked and took flight again.

Seihanine made her way back to the pronteran colony of Orcville. She had suffered only minor wounds from being occasionally grazed by orc archer shots; allowing her to travel quickly. Kalyx flew ahead; scouting for possible threats. She glanced at the bodies behind her for one last time. "Damned orcs, it didn't have to be so bloody." was all she had to say about her ambushers. She wondered why the orcs had broken the peace treaty between their tribes and the colony. She did not have time to wonder for long though, Kalyx suddenly flew back to her at incredible speed. She removed her bow from her back and dropped to the ground. Kalyx had spotted more hostile orcs. 'At this close to the colony? That means-!' Alarmed by her own deduction, she slowly moved forward. The tall grass of the plains near the colony provided only slight cover. She soon noticed the clouds of smoke that billowed from the colony's direction.

'Damned orcs!'

Seihanine moved forward to catch sight of the burning colony. Littering the surrounding plains were the bodies of dozens of pronteran soldiers mixed with the corpses of almost the same number of orcs. Immediately, she scanned the place for ongoing battles. There were only a few minor skirmishes left. She watched as the last squads of knights and hunters were overwhelmed by superior orc numbers. 'God, no…did he fall as well?' She thought. Frantic, she continued to search the battlefield until she found what she was looking for. A lone blacksmith waved a twin-bladed, two-handed axe about; keeping the high orcs that surrounded him at bay. Even from a distance, she easily recognized his cropped black hair and his powerful build. "Kreizen!" She called out. She shot the high orc behind her older brother before the blue-skinned warrior could raise its axe. A second arrow followed the first shot so fast that it was only a few inches away from the first as it flew. Both arrows struck the high orc's chest; the combined force of their flights knocking it down.

Kreizen Xalascent took advantage of the moment of surprise his sister provided. His two-handed axe bit deep into the neck of another high orc. He kicked the orc down to free his axe and made a run for it. Ten to one were bad enough odds and he knew that reinforcements may come at any moment. A hundred to one was a dire situation indeed. One orc warrior reached out to pull him back. He raised his axe and brought it down the green-skinned arm, severing it from its shoulder. Blood sprayed across the chain armor he had on as he kept running. His sister covered his back by quickly shooting down the pursuing orc archers. Her falcon, Kalyx, flew past him, raking the eyes of a persistent blue-skinned orc. "We'll have to retreat, Sei!" He called out. "All of the remaining colony forces have already retreated to Prontera!" The falconer nodded. Her ice-blue eyes, normally cold and appraising, momentarily flashed with fury. Kreizen clapped his sister on the back as he reached her and they ran off. "Glad to see you're alive at least!" He panted. "Where's the rest of your patrol?"

Seihanine concentrated on running. Once in a while, she stopped, turned to see if some over-eager orc ran ahead of his fellows, shot down any who did and turned to run once again. "We ran into an ambush, brother." She answered him. She didn't bother with the details. Kreizen would not find them useful anyway.

Kreizen nodded in understanding. "Prontera has lost a lot on this day." He said. "We must make it back to warn them of the orcish uprising." His sister nodded once before running ahead to scout. The orcs had given up running after them. Eight casualties over two escaping survivors was a strong deterrent. They finally stopped at the entrance of the forest between the orc lands and the Sograt Desert. With nightfall upon them already, he was the first to stop. "We can rest here, Sei. I doubt it if there's an orc brave enough to follow you into a forest." He said. He was panting and sweating when he sat down. He had been fighting ever since the sudden orc attack on the colony that morning. He was just getting his forge ready when he had to make a scramble for his weapon and armor. The orcs broke through the gate in an hour and he had to fight his way out of the settlement while the orcs torched everything remotely inflammable. He lost track of time from that point. All he could think about was finding a way to warn his sister that there was no colony for her scouting party to go back to and making the orcs pay for their treachery. Seeing his sister alive was all he needed bring his spirits back up; especially since he had been fighting in a bleak plain surrounded by corpses. "We got an early return to Prontera out of this if nothing else." He remarked, mustering a grin as he did so.

Seihanine did not respond to her brother's statement at once. She began to make a fire; not minding the long, drawn-out silence her lack of response created. After piling a few more branches on the growing blaze, she sat cross-legged near it and across her brother. "An entire colony has burned to the ground with many of its defenders dead, my brother." She said. "A reason to go back to Prontera is not the foremost of the things I see out of this." She stared at the fire for a while before looking up towards the blacksmith. She was relieved to find that he had survived the orcish attack on Orcville but his reaction to the entire thing still did not sit well with her. Across the fire, he still had a smile on his face even as he cleaned the blood from his armor and weapon. Sweat poured down his brow; getting into his slanted, blue eyes until he blinked. The few weeks of growth on his cheeks and chin glistened from the firelight as well. He replaced his axe in its leather harness before looking around. Seihanine took out a small bag she had on her belt and took out some of its contents. All she had was a handful of trail rations, nothing more than a few pieces of dried fruit which she gave half to her brother.

Kreizen nodded thankfully as he took the pieces and started chewing on one. "It's true that many good soldiers have died today, Sei." He said. "Their loss is tragic indeed. Sad as I may be for their families' loss, I am much more relieved that you survived with me. I've done what I can for the colony and so have you. Moping about will not help anyone but keeping your spirits up is always good."

Seihanine was about to say something when she suddenly aimed an arrow towards Kreizen's direction. Her brother's hand went to the two-handed axe that was strapped to his back.

"Whoa! Easy, lady! I'm just a swordsman traveling around the forest!" Someone exclaimed from behind Kreizen. He turned around to see who was there.

Seihanine did not lower her bow. Kalyx screeched at the blond swordsman in front of them from his perch on her shoulder. His feathers ruffled as he watched the swordsman grin at his mistress. "Who are you, swordsman, and why are you wandering these woods at this hour?" Seihanine asked cautiously.

The swordsman bowed with an air of mockery that Seihanine found irritating. She kept a straight face though. "Name's Joe Buck. My friend over there is Seiros." He answered.

A tall and heavily-cloaked man walked towards them. Seihanine noted the bandaged hands that the figure tried to hide. Kalyx grew more agitated as the one called Seiros approached. Kreizen noticed the falcon's reaction and tensed. There was something wrong with the swordsman and his companion.

Suddenly, the swordsman's confident voice interrupted the blacksmith's thoughts. "You won't mind if Seiros and I stayed to share the fire, won't you?" He asked.

Seihanine kept the bow trained on the swordsman. Unlike most people, she remembered every detail of every enemy she fought such as weaknesses, strengths and styles. Appearances was part of that list. "I don't think so." She answered. "Why don't you explain what you're doing so far from Geffen, doppelganger?"

The swordsman's eyes danced with amusement. He tried to hold it in for a while before bursting into fits of laughter. "Doppelganger?" he laughed "That's the most hilarious thing I've ever heard! Now why would the doppelganger-?"

Seihanine loosed the arrow the moment she noticed the doppelganger's muscles tense but, compared to his movement, even a shot arrow seemed to slow down. He moved so fast, it was almost as if he had teleported behind her.

As soon as his sister fired a shot, Kreizen raised his axe and turned to face the cloaked figure. The one called Seiros did not seem interested; he simply folded his arms and stared at Seihanine's battle. Red eyes gleamed from the figure's hood.

Seihanine dove forward the moment she felt the doppelganger's presence. She rolled on the ground, stood to face the doppelganger and shot an arrow at him in mere seconds. He grinned and sidestepped the arrow. In a flash, the broadsword appeared in his hands. He held the sword in an easy, one-handed grip as he walked towards her. "I admire your style a lot, huntress." He told her. "It's a little less cute than a knight's but still amusing. It would be a total waste if we fought to the death right away."

Seihanine drew another arrow from her quiver. The doppelganger tilted his head, as if inviting her to take a shot.

Kreizen watched the fight between his sister and the doppelganger. He would have jumped to help his sister but the cloaked figure kept him uneasy. He did not dare to turn his back on him. It was strange to hear the doppelganger talk like a person though. Earlier, Prontera had issued a warning regarding the mysteriously sudden sentience of the great monsters. He did not want to believe it at first until he watched the Orc Hero cut through the colony's defenders like a scythe through wheat. The doppelganger's prowess had him completely convinced. He was further unnerved when the cloaked figure spoke. The figure's voice was deep and powerful, with an authoritative quality that seemed use to obedience.

"My companion is right." Seiros spoke. "We do not seek to fight with you mortals. We've come to destroy the Orc Hero and his ally, the Orc Lord."

The huntress's eyes narrowed. "Even you would be hard pressed against them." She answered. "The orc horde has yet to have an end."

The doppelganger smiled and sheathed his weapon. "We're going to fight with the colony. It's still there, right?" He asked.

Kreizen shook his head in response. "Prontera's forces have retreated. The colony belongs to the orcs for now."

The doppelganger scratched his head and turned to talk with his companion. "So much for that plan, Seiros, so where are we off to?"

The cloaked figure removed its hood, revealing a bandaged and crowned head. "Drop the act, doppelganger." He growled. "They have already discovered us."

The doppelganger shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever you say, Osiris."

The mummy ignored the doppelganger for a while and looked at the blacksmith. "You plan to return to Prontera, correct?" He asked. "That means you must cross either the wood where the goblins reside or the Sograt desert."

Kreizen lowered his defense as he stared at Osiris. He had realized that even these great monsters needed their help. "You're right." He answered. "What does this have to do with you?"

Osiris' eyes gleamed red as he shifted his gaze to the huntress. His eyes flickered with anticipation when she reached for a silver-tipped arrow. At the last minute, she lowered her bow; allowing him to talk. "The Lord of Death has some of his abysmal knights patrolling the woods. Sograt desert is no option, that's where his army has its main camp."

Seihanine's eyes narrowed as she stared at the mummy. There was no break, tension or any signs of lying between Osiris' words. "What do you suggest then?" She asked.

The mummy's eyes flashed. "A temporary alliance, we aid you against the Lord of Death's minions-"

Kreizen's brow furrowed. "-and in return?" He asked.

Osiris appraised both the huntress and the blacksmith. What a strange pair these two made. The huntress was small, lithe and graceful while the blacksmith was tall, powerfully built and steady. They were both either Payonese or Amatsunese from their slanted eyes. The blacksmith's skin was woodland brown; tanned more by forge fires instead of sunlight by the looks of it. He was covered with black hair; those on his head were short and cropped but he seemed to make up for it with a beard, a pair of hairy arms and chest. The huntress's skin was smooth and pale like the moonlight shining down on them right now. She had light blue hair, a color not found among the Amatsunese. Nevertheless, they did bear some resemblance to each other. They both had prominent jaw lines, pointed noses and high cheekbones. Perhaps they were siblings. "-you take us inside Prontera." He continued. "Mundane disguises will not be enough for us to remain within your capital."

Seihanine watched the darkness beyond the woods. They were left with no choice this time.

Kreizen arrived at the same conclusion as his sister. "We'll take your offer then." He answered.

Seihanine's eyes narrowed. Why is it that she could only expect further complications?

* * *

**World notes**

**Falconer - **falconers are hunters who divide their time between archery training and working with a falcon. They supplement their deadly ranged attacks with their falcon's swooping attacks. They are able to communicate to some degree with these birds, who obey only them. Most falconers are trained in Payon, where the birds are native to. Hunters who are not from the city either migrate there or focus entirely on marksmanship.


	16. The wake of death

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 14: The wake of death**

"So how did the orcs manage to raze your colony?" Despite the tragedy around the subject, the doppelganger was smiling when he asked Seihanine the question. He kept just a few steps behind her; his restless nature making him occasionally skip in place just to avoid overtaking the huntress.

Seihanine almost let out a frustrated sigh. It was the fifth time the doppelganger had asked her that question. She had ignored him only to find that he was utterly relentless in getting her attention. She walked faster to make him focus more on walking instead of talking only to realize that, to an immortal who can sidestep arrows with ease, she must be moving at a snail's pace. Then she thought of turning around and glaring at him, only to remember that this was the immortal who could fool around even after the former emperor of Morroc had told him to stop. All her attempts seemed to accomplish was to increase his constant pestering. It seemed as if the blond "swordsman" enjoyed annoying people. As a last resort, she tried bargaining. If nothing else, the doppelganger seemed to stick to his word. "Will you shut up and leave me alone if I told you? She asked.

The doppelganger's smile widened. Finally, a reaction from the stone-faced huntress! He brightened as if he had won a great victory. "You know, you remind me of this knight I traveled with." He said. "You're both grouchy and untalkative though her fighting style is slightly cuter than yours. Well, I suppose knights always have a cuter fighting style than huntresses!"

Seihanine ignored the doppelganger's casual remark and concentrated on answering his question; if only to shut him up completely. "The orcs simply outnumbered the colony defenders." She answered. "That's counting the orcs alone. I noticed that they were fighting with the kobolds and the goblins as well though I find it odd that the goblins would completely abandon their forest homes to join the orcs."

Walking behind the doppelganger; Osiris suddenly joined in the conversation. "Because they were no match for the forest's current occupants, huntress." He told her. "The Lord of Death has started to invade the Sograt Desert's surrounding territories. Including the forests that serve as a border between it and the orc lands. It may only be a matter of time until he decides to take Morroc as well."

Upon hearing the word Morroc, Kreizen decided to speak. He brought up the rear; keeping just a few steps behind Osiris. "Morroc is your territory isn't it, Osiris?" He asked. "Won't you defend it against the Lord of Death?"

Osiris's eyes flashed briefly under his hood. Morroc was his city in the past. He had fought countless of battles to safeguard it from every invasion whether from within or without. During his time, to attack Morroc was to be broken by the fist of Osiris. But that was in the past. When he first arrived in Morroc more than a thousand years ago, it was a gigantic prison of Glastheim's undesirables. A pit full of unruly people living a bleak existence. He fought hard to change that for the sake of the glastheimian refugees he led. He had watched the fruit of his labors when Morroc grew from a prison into a great city. However, when he stepped out of his tomb, he had discovered that everything he had tried to build in Morroc had crumbled into ruins. Not just the monuments; he cared not for mere stone statues and buildings, but the very precepts he tried to build an empire from. Morroc was a pit of crime when he first came upon it and it was a pit of crime again when he returned to it. "I do not care for that sand-blown ruin, blacksmith." He answered. "I may have been its emperor once but, now, I'm just another immortal; apparently prey to its thieves like anyone caught within its walls alone."

Seihanine's eyes narrowed. She had expected them but the uncaring words still grated on her. She glanced back at the bandaged immortal. "What makes you so sure that we won't expose you to the public?" She asked.

Osiris stopped momentarily. He stared at the huntress for a while to see if she was firmly resolved in doing this. Her icy, blue eyes revealed nothing; not even to him. Her Payonese origins were much more obvious now. The Payonese were paler than Pronterans. They had slanted, almond-shaped eyes, similar to the elves of long ago, that seemed to be made to hide emotions. As he would have put it before, she had the eyes of a natural liar or, at least, that of an inscrutable person. He looked away and continued walking. "Because you'll need all the help you can get, mortal." He answered. "Even if it came in the form of other immortals such as the doppelganger and me. There are those immortals that are more bent in wiping out our species before starting our war; Baphomet for one and the Orc Hero for another. To survive you'll need the help of less…bloodthirsty immortals such as me and if I can benefit from your kind as well then so be it."

Seihanine did not bother replying. Osiris did have a point, though she disliked the idea of being manipulated by anyone. From that exchange, she had observed that dealing with these two immortals had to take two approaches. While she could take into account the quirks in the doppelganger's personality, she had to tread lightly around Osiris. There was an edge to the bandaged immortal's voice; one that told her he would do everything to get what he wanted. She wondered why the two traveled together.

Kreizen walked on silently seemingly oblivious to the conversation between his sister and Osiris. It wasn't that he didn't care, something he had been occasionally accused of by Seihanine, it was just that there wasn't much they could do at the present moment. It wasn't that he or Seihanine could tell Osiris and the doppelganger to stop following them. Besides, he and his sister benefited from the arrangement just as surely as Osiris and the doppelganger did. Looking at it as a businessman, he could let such a situation pass. For now at least. He also believed that, while Osiris may be true to his word, he doubted if the doppelganger could be bound by anything less than a hundred feet worth of pure elunium chains.

Seihanine suddenly raised an arm, allowing her falcon to land on it. The falcon screeched once and stared ahead of them. Without a word, she dropped low and nocked an arrow to her bow.

Kreizen knew the signals his sister's falcon gave. One screech upon landing meant danger ahead. Sure enough, when she pulled her weapon out, he did the same with his two-handed axe and moved forward; placing himself between where the danger was likely to come from and his sister.

"Looks like the Lord of Death's minions are heading for us." The doppelganger mentioned casually. He drew forth his broadsword in a slow, deliberate manner. He stretched his neck, as if limbering up for a battle. Osiris was less enthusiastic about the entire situation though he clenched and unclenched his fists several times.

"Can you see them, Sei?" Kreizen asked his sister in a hushed tone while keeping his focus ahead of him. With the canopy of leaves above them; the forest floor was dark, damp and difficult to navigate. He left the watching to Seihanine during these times.

Seihanine squinted at the surrounding trees. She could already see vague images of their enemies. She recognized the familiar clanking of empty armor and the scraping of swords on the ground. She had fought these beings before. For a moment she recalled cold, empty hallways of ruined stone and marble, a perpetually darkened atmosphere and tattered cloth hanging from broken pillars. A name came to mind when she remembered the image. Glastheim. She had come to that place only once and the fleeting memories she had of it were kept at the darker recesses of her mind. She hated that place and everything that happened in it save for one. These creatures, things that should be wandering its halls only, were not it. "Raydrics." She answered. "Plenty of them and I can hear several khalitzburgs among them as well."

Osiris strode forward. "Do not think that these creatures will simply mill about and attack mindlessly, huntress." He said. "Gone are the days of the sleep. They will surely work together in their attack and there is likely an abysmal knight to lead them." With those words, Osiris dashed forward and jumped. At the same time, a massive, armored skeleton burst from the trees. The creature was over nine feet tall. It was clad in rusting steel and armed with a pair of jagged blades. Osiris twisted in midair to avoid the khalitzburg's twin sword attack. The huge skeleton raised its swords again but it was too late. His heel smashed through its helmet in a vicious spinning kick. The first khalitzburg crashed to the forest floor only to be replaced by three more.

The raydrics burst from from the vegetation. While much smaller than the khalitzburgs, the empty suits of armor moved with precision and speed instead of the lumbering strides of their undead allies. They whirred into practiced lines and closed in on the group in a pincer attack. Their two-handed swords glinted when they caught the few rays of sun reaching past the canopy. The doppelganger was the first to wade among them; his broadsword cleaving through the first raydric he faced. He continued charging; his weapon swinging so fast it became a blur of steel.

Kreizen followed in the doppelganger's wake; dodging the shreds of armor that flew towards him. He raised his weapon and brought it down on the empty helmet of one raydric that was coming up from behind the doppelganger. The heavy crescent-shaped blade bit into the thick armor plate of the raydric's helmet, gouging a large hole and sending cracks around the metal. He then smashed a steel-toed boot into the thing's chest plate; freeing his weapon and sending it crashing into the leaf-covered ground. When the thing began to stand up, he suddenly grabbed one of the pouches hanging from his belt. The pouch jingled from the jostling movement, heavy as it was with several gold zenny coins. He grasped the pouch with one hand, balancing his axe with the other, and concentrated. The blacksmiths of Rune-Midgard did not manipulate the elements through extensive magic like wizards did but their intimate knowledge of the earthly elements and some dabbling in the wizard's art let them achieve unique feats of their own. After all, as surely as a wizard weaved fire, frost, lightning and earth for his means, a blacksmith worked fire, earth and his own physical prowess into the creation of his work. It was why the blacksmith guild's main headquarters was in Geffen. Drawing on that knowledge, Kreizen transformed the metals within the gold zenny coins; turning them into simple energy that ran through his arms and weapon. Energized, he swung his axe again. The force of the blow split the rising raydric into two; scattering its fragments all across the forest floor. The money pouch, along with the money it contained, burned away after the spell. He didn't even get to fuss over the loss of money before two more raydrics rushed him.

Seihanine fired a silver-tipped arrow straight into the skull of one khalitzburg. The force of the shot, combined with the miniature explosion of the stored holy energy within the silver, knocked the lumbering skeleton back a few steps before it resumed its pace towards her. She fired two more arrows in rapid succession; knocking it back some more. A fourth arrow arced across the air; finding its mark right between the hollow sockets of the skeleton. On impact, the skull shattered; sending the khalitzburg crashing to the ground. She stepped back and looked around, trying to ascertain if her brother needed help. Seeing that he was doing fine; she jumped back as a pair of raydrics approached her. She raised a hand to signal Kalyx and simultaneously fired two arrows at her nearest attacker. The falcon flew from her shoulder; his steel-tipped, razor-sharp caws cutting even through the thick armor of his enemies.

The forest floor was soon littered with broken pieces of armor and the bones of fallen khalitzburgs. Osiris tossed aside the shattered remains of one helmet. "Too easy." He growled. "These things are mere scouting parties and since they did not try to signal for reinforcements may mean that they have other ways to communicate with their leader."

Seihanine nodded in agreement. Though she had fought raydrics before, she had not expected them to attack in a coordinated manner. Osiris was right. Something had united these mindless things from Glastheim's halls and was unleashing them across Rune-Midgard. If she continued to believe in the mummy's words, that something was the Lord of Death. "It's better to avoid the abysmal knight altogether." She replied. "It might have a way to contact the Lord of Death and I'll doubt we'll survive an attack from such a being if it's accompanied by hundreds of organized raydrics and khalitzburgs."

Osiris stared off to the forest for a while. In truth, he and the doppelganger could take down even an abysmal knight and a brigade of raydrics and khalitzburgs. However, there was the blacksmith and the huntress to deal with. He had given his word that he would travel with the two towards Prontera. He wasn't going to go back on in his word just to annoy the Lord of Death with a dead abysmal knight and a few broken minions. "I agree with the huntress." He said. "We'll have to move quickly and quietly." He turned to face the doppelganger, who was about to say something. "That means you too, doppelganger."

The doppelganger grinned and walked on. "Whatever you say, Osiris!" He replied.

The rest of the group moved on, leaving the remains of the scouting patrol behind them. Seihanine continued to watch the trees around them as they walked as silently as possible. The goblins' forest was darker than usual, as if the presence of the Lord of Death's minions had infected it with the same pervasive gloom as the halls of Glastheim. The air around them was heavy and smelled of old blood and rusted iron. Her eyes narrowed; it was only a week ago when she last saw this forest. The air was fresh and the trees were verdant. The goblins were also bound by the peace treaty between their tribe and the colony; allowing her to take casual walks in the forest during the rare times when she was off duty. Now, the forest was as dark as a graveyard. 'A mere reflection of the Lord of Death's power.' She thought. 'I'll make him pay for this.'

Kreizen noticed the way his sister stared at the surrounding forest and silently let out a sigh. He had also spent plenty of time in this forest. Goblins were expert arrow craftsmen and knew their materials well so he often traded with them for fletching feathers and shafts. Looking at the forest now caused him to empathize with his often moody younger sister. A sudden crack of wood underneath his boots jarred him from his thoughts. The rest of the group turned towards the sound. He looked at his feet to see what made the noise. Underneath his boot was a mask; a grotesque smile was painted across the circular piece of wood identifying it as the mask of certain goblin warriors. What bothered him was not the large, vertical crack that nearly split the mask in two; he was responsible for that one, but the smear of dried blood over it. He shifted his attention to the clearing ahead of him and found the mask's owner. A goblin warrior lay face up on the forest floor. Flies were already swarming around it; many of them crawling about the terrible wound in its stomach. As he looked about he saw more dead bodies, obvious signs of a battle. Kreizen covered his nose as he approached; he had always hated the smell of dead bodies.

Seihanine glanced coldly at the bodies and concentrated on trying to spot the one responsible. Her expert eyes took note that some of the wounds were still fresh; indicative of the proximity of whoever did this. What disconcerted her was one particular corpse. A goblin warrior had been pinned to a tree with what appeared to be a black javelin. She walked towards it for a closer inspection, only to notice the black feathers on the "javelin". It was an arrow, an enormous one that had driven its shaft right through the goblin and the tree behind it. The blackened point was sticking out of the trunk's opposite side. Seihanine's eyes narrowed, already picturing herself fighting against the archer or machine that could do this.

Osiris walked on, heedless of the scene of slaughter around him while the doppelganger took the time to inspect each; muttering a few choice remarks about the corpses every now and then. They made their way past the carnage and further into the darkened forest. Time was difficult to tell without a clear view of the sun. They walked on, guided only by Seihanine's sense of direction. Uncounted hours began to pass. Time and again, the doppelganger would try to say something only to be hushed by a glare from Osiris. In the darkened forest, the sudden flash of the mummy's red eyes were hard to miss. Finally, the trees started to space apart and more light reach them. It wasn't long until they reached the end of the forest. They walked into the green fields near Prontera. The sight of the capital's magnificent spires took some of the edge from the gloomy atmosphere that clung to them like smoke.

"Prontera at last!" The doppelganger shouted as he stretched his arms and grinned. The walk through the forest had been terribly restrictive to the point that he felt he was about to burst from boredom. He was glad to leave it behind.

Kreizen allowed himself to sigh with relief as well when he heard the familiar whiz of an arrow's flight.

"Kreizen!" Seihanine's warning cry made him look behind him. That was when he noticed noticed the black arrow as it flew from the massive bow of its even darker wielder. The shaft was speeding straight for him. Before he could even react, he felt someone push him down. It was Seihanine; who had impulsively shoved him out of the arrow's path. As a result, she caught the shaft high on her chest, near her left shoulder. Blood spattered across Kreizen's face and shirt. He grabbed his sister as she fell to the grass. "Seihanine!" He cried out. Kreizen carried his sister in his arms; ignoring her attempts to stand up on her own. The one who shot the arrow stood at the edge of the tree line; a tall figure clad completely in black metal. Wincing in pain, Seihanine reached behind her left shoulder to grab the point of the arrow that protruded from her back. There was no shaft to pull out though; the entire arrow had gone right through her. Her vision blurred as blood ran down her brother's arms. Her wound was an large hole on her torso, without magical healing, she was going to die.

The abysmal knight drew another arrow from its quiver.

Osiris was about to charge when he heard the familiar squawk of a pecopeco. He quickly wrapped his hood around him and signaled at the doppelganger. The blond swordsman winked and ran towards the troop of knights that appeared. "You've got to help us!" He called out. "One of our friends is injured and we're being attacked by an abysmal knight!"

Sir Althamas Kadrezyll recognized the huntress and the blacksmith as First Knight Commander Sialsanderin's companions. The swordsman and his cloaked friend were strangers though. He glanced briefly at the blacksmith to confirm their trustworthiness. At a nod from Kreizen, Althamas ordered his patrol to shield the group from any ranged attack. Kreizen helped his sister on top of one pecopeco and prepared to take off. It was unlikely that the abysmal knight would follow them to Prontera.

* * *

Aelumina watched as the patrol of eight knights waited for her attack. Behind her were three squads of raydric archers; enough bows to rain death on the troop of knights. She let them retreat, though. Osiris and the doppelganger still posed as dangerous threats and they would remind Prontera of just how close and how terrifying her lord's army truly was.

* * *

As the gates of Prontera loomed before him, Kreizen allowed himself to take solace in the city's safety. His sister was losing a lot of blood from her injury and it didn't help the situation that Osiris and the doppelganger vanished the moment they entered the city. Still, they would be safe inside Prontera.

So long as the mighty city did not fall.

* * *

**World notes**

**Currency - **All Rune-Midgardians have used zenny as their form of currency since the days of ancient Morroc. A gold zenny coin is worth 100 zenny, a silver zenny coin is worth 50, a bronze one is worth 10 and a copper zenny coin is worth 1. The rare platinum zenny coin is worth 1000 zenny. Transaction does not always involve coins, however. Barter is still a common practice in Rune-Midgard and special writs are also used in place of actual coin.

**Mammonite - **this blacksmith ability transforms elements found in gold zenny coins to physical force. The usual amount is usually ten coins.


	17. Paths not taken

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 15: Paths not taken**

"I beg your pardon for the intrusion, Knight Commander Sialsanderin, but your father requests for your presence at your manor this evening." The servant from Sialsanderin Manor said. "He adds that it is a matter of importance to him." He left hurriedly as soon as he delievered those words, as if he was some thief who had taken a cheap shot at one of Prontera's finest knights. He accidentally caught a glimpse of the First Knight Commander and nearly panicked. A glimpse of the fury from her almost sent him running. His fellow servants had warned him before that First Knight Commander Eliarainne Sialsanderin never appreciated a call from her father. As soon as he was out of sight, he stopped to catch his breath, wondering if he was being far too underpaid for this job.

* * *

Eliarainne continued to glare balefully at the messenger until he ran off. With the man out of sight, she refocused her attention on her injured friend. Seihanine was still recovering from the wound she received from the abysmal knight-archer. They were in the military hospital, one of the largest buildings in Prontera's military district. Around noon time, a day after contact with Orcville was cut off, the Xalascent siblings came into Prontera escorted by Sir Althamas. Seihanine was badly hurt and was immediately rushed to the hospital where Silmeia began healing her. Kreizen had been frantic but the sight of Silmeia calmed him down. That was just a few hours ago. When his sister was out of danger, Kreizen went off to see to his business in Prontera. Silmeia had asked Seihanine to stay and rest for a while before heading off herself. A healing spell had prevented further bleeding but the huntress still needed to rest to regain full use of her left shoulder. Eliarainne had questioned both Xalascents about the cause of the colony's fall. Kreizen had provided two answers. 'The Orc Hero and the Orc Lord eh?' She thought. Seihanine's words cut through her reverie.

"Get going, Rainne. You're going to be late for your weekly berating."

Eliarainne's eyes narrowed. Weekly berating sounded quite right for it. She was never in good relations with her father ever since she told him she wanted to be a swordswoman instead of a merchant. He been against her training with the regular army, her ascension to knighthood and, most of all, her partnership with Makaelthos. She had gone against his wishes each time and he had made it clear that he wasn't going to stop trying. Every week he would ask her to join him for dinner and to hear the same harangue he had about almost everything she held dear in her life. "You must have met him to know that, Sei." She replied.

Seihanine wrinkled her nose in disgust when she answered. "Kreizen has had some dealings with him before, both of them being blacksmiths and all. Kreizen says he makes good work, at least. I just don't like the way he looks at his "payonese competitors" or that arrogant, patronizing tone he uses. I swear, Rainne if he tries-"

Eliarainne raised a hand. She was too used to threats against her father. She had made a few choice ones of her own. "I know what you mean. I have to go, Sei. Say hello to Kreizen for me." Seihanine gave a curt nod as she left.

* * *

It was already late afternoon when Eliarainne made her way slowly towards her family's home. She had ignored the pecopeco pulled carriage waiting for her outside the hospital and rode astride Bristle instead. Sialsanderin Manor stood out even among the opulent homes of the city's resident merchants over at the northeastern district, the area where most of Prontera's rich residents had their homes. Its primary resident was Cafilex Sialsanderin, her father. She did not live there with him. Instead she kept her own quarters in Prontera's knight barracks by the military district; staying in a room adjacent to the quarters of her partner, Makaelthos. She was more comfortable with that arrangement than having to stay in her family's house. If she only had her way, she would never return to this place. Like her father, the manor never changed.

"Eliarainne, my love!" Someone called out from behind Eliarainne. "Come, take my arm and we will walk together to our house!"

Surprised, Eliarainne turned Bristle around and faced the one who spoke. For a moment, she was quiet; unsure of what exactly she heard. She was sure she heard her name but the rest of the words didn't make any sense. There was a merchant in front of her. He was garbed in a gray long sleeved shirt, a red vest and baggy pantaloons with large pockets. The colors were gaudy; good for attracting attention from customers. She vaguely recalled seeing the face before. There was something particularly irritating about the smug look on this merchant's face.

A patrol of knights stopped to look as well. They heard the merchant quite clearly and the implications piqued both curiosity and concern. Calling the First Knight Commander "my love" was tantamount to suicide. She had once beaten Skirmisher Gardzen up so badly in the arena that it took several sanctuary spells to put him back in shape. All of that was because he had called her "Rainne", a nickname she allowed only her closest friends to use. "My love" would probably merit a death sentence; double that if Sir Makaelthos was around.

Eliarainne stared down long and hard at a merchant. Long, blond hair fell neatly down the sides of his face, his gray eyes, heavy eyelids and long aquiline nose reflected an annoying confidence; the sort that she loved bashing out of the faces of her enemies. "You've got a lot of nerve calling me like that, merchant." She growled. "Who sent you to slander me?"

The merchant's eyebrows rose in mock surprise. "Slander?" He asked. "You misunderstand me, love. We are already engaged as per our fathers' agreement." Desire gleamed within his eyes as he moved closer to Eliarainne and whispered. "I must say I'm looking forward to seeing you in a dress. Armor really doesn't suit you."

Eliarainne quivered in fury. She reached instinctively for her lance. The knights near them looked about; trying to spot her partner. Sir Makaelthos Solcry was the only person the First Knight Commander listened to during her more violent moods. The patrol leader stepped up warily, realizing that it fell to him and his companions to break up any violence that erupted. He braced himself for a struggle. "Get out of my sight, merchant. Eliarainne finally said. "And tell your father to engage you to someone else because I have no intention of marrying for the sake of mine." Her tone low and menacing; almost as if she dared the merchant to ignore her words and continue to try and "woo" her. The merchant backed off, no one, no matter how confident, would dare call her threat. The passing knights sighed with relief as Eliarainne turned her back and rode on.

* * *

"What do you mean we're engaged!" Eliarainne's shout reverberated across the dining hall. Her fists slammed on her family's banquet table; causing everything on it to shake.

Her father, Cafilex, looked sternly at her from the opposite end of the ten foot long table. "What I mean, Eliarainne, is that I have arranged for your marriage with Eldorius Sevrisn." He answered sternly. "He's an excellent merchant, on his way to becoming a blacksmith. It is for your own good!"

Eliarainne glared at her father with enough fury to give pause to a mob of orcs. "You know nothing of what's good for me!" She spat. "I've heard of Clan Sevrisn before. They have a widespread business here in Prontera and the only reason you want me to marry that sniveling fool, Eldorius, is so you can consolidate some business merger!"

Cafilex banged his own fists on he table. Several bowls of food turned over; spilling their contents on the table. "You're wrong!" He shouted. "I'm doing this to refocus your attention from that ridiculous profession of yours and concentrate on running the business!"

Eliarainne grit her teeth in an effort to control herself. Ridiculous profession? She had killed people for that insult! She loved no other profession more than knighthood and she was more than willing to take on anyone who challenged that love. "Is that what you think of the knights, father?" She asked. She knew the answer of course. It puzzled even her why she continued to ask it every week.

Cafilex's face went livid. His dark, bushy beard seemed to quiver as he spat out each word. "The knights? The knights are all fools, Eliarainne! They were fools to accept you for training when you should have begun learning our family's business. They were bigger fools for letting you ascend to knighthood when you should have been a full-fledged blacksmith by that time! Don't you see how you've wasted your life, Eliarainne? I can earn three times your monthly salary in one week! Marrying Eldorius will at least replace your lost potential."

Eliarainne stood up. The discussion was a lost cause as usual. There was no point in talking to her father once he started looking down on what she did. His harangue merited no response. She knew what Prontera's knights did first hand. She kept the capital safe and enforced its edicts so fat blacksmiths and merchants like her father could get rich safely. It was a constantly perilous and often thankless job. Learning from Makaelthos, she had long mastered taking both gratitude and ingratitude in stride. She took a deep breath and started on a different topic. She didn't want the knights to be involved in her personal problems. "What about how I feel about the whole matter, father?" She asked. "You would cart me off to the highest bidder like a chunk of emperium?"

Cafilex rose from his own seat. "And who would you marry, Eliarainne?" He asked. "You are twenty-three years old, a few more years and the young men will think of you as an old maid wrapped in metal and behaving like a man! After that, they'll just think of you as one! Would you prefer that worthless ditch knight, Solcry? What future could he possibly offer you or our business?"

Eliarainne slammed her fist on the table so hard that the wood splintered. More food spilled and several pieces of crockery fell from the table; shattering on the marble floor.

"Don't you dare insult Makaelthos!" She shouted. "You don't even have the nerve to say that to his face without a battalion of bodyguards backing you up! So I'm growing out my usefulness for you, eh? You said it yourself, father, I'm twenty-three years old; far too old to be bothering myself with pleasing you in everything! Let "the young men"-" She said the phrase with a mocking falsetto. "-think what they want! I wouldn't curse a half-dead orc woman with a horrid fate like marrying one of them. Swinish, worthless people living off their parents' wealth, sipping wine and scratching their balls at the slightest itch! Drooling over every passing maidservant while knights like me deal with things that would have them piss so hard that they'd punch holes in their pants! So yes, father, give me some ditch-raised soldier of Prontera any time! I'll marry him and be done with you and your merchants!"

Cafilex raised his voice to a roar. "What filth have you dragged your tongue in? You take his side? That bastard thief in armor has polluted your mind completely, Eliarainne!" When Eliarainne turned to leave without an answer. Cafilex continued to shout as his daughter turned her back to him. "How dare you turn your back to me? We're not done yet!"

Eliarainne grabbed hold of the halberd she often carried with her indoors. The weapon's bladed end struck the wall to her right; breaking a gaping hole on the thick marble. Cafilex stepped back in fear. He had often witnessed his daughter's fury but not once had she resorted to something like this. For a brief moment, he could have sworn his daughter's irises turned red while the whites of her eyes turned black. Her grit teeth revealed sharp, pointed fangs. The blacksmith blinked and the horrifying moment passed.

"We're done, father!" Eliarainne snarled. "And if that bastard worm, Eldorius, leers at me again; hinting any sort of marriage…I'll kill him! I'll lay him on the ground, gut him and kill him! And then I'll kill-" She stopped herself, realizing what she was about to say. Then she simply left the room, slamming the door behind her. Several more slammed doors followed and she was gone from the manor.

Cafilex Sialsanderin was silent as his only daughter stormed out of the manor. For the first time in his arguments with her, he was fearing for his life. He owed that behavior once more to that ditch knight she spent so much time with.

* * *

Eliarainne hurried out of the manor. The blasted house was…suffocating her. It was too confined and kept reminding her of the constant quarrels she had with her father. She had done all she could to keep her temper in check but, for a brief moment, she got so angry that she seemed to black out. The next moment she found herself holding a halberd to the wall. 'Something is wrong.' She thought. 'It's the first time I threatened my father like that.' She felt her head starting to throb. It was the first sign of an incoming headache. She dismissed her uncalled for violence to the mounting stress of her work. Reports have been piling in all morning and afternoon ever since the orc invasion. She rode towards a tavern. 'It's his entire fault anyway! Marriage…how dare he plan it without considering me?' She clenched her fists. The more she thought of the whole thing, the angrier she got. By the time she reached the tavern, she had worked herself to a fury. Knights returning from their patrols recognized the symptoms and scampered to get out of her way. Her head was throbbing at full force as she entered the tavern. 'Ditch knight, the man says! Any other knight would have cracked his jaws open for that!' As if to answer her thoughts, Makaelthos's voice made her look up. He was by the bar, a glass of his favorite Morroc wine beside him.

"So how did it go with your father?" Makaelthos asked.

She sat beside him; her fury was still throbbing in her head. "Miserable as usual!" She snapped. "Baelthran! Payon spirits and bring the bottle!"

Baelthran was the barkeep of Eliarainne's favorite tavern. Fat, middle-aged and balding; he looked like the typical barkeep in the old stories Eliarainne read as a child. He returned with a clean glass and a bottle of the potent, clear liquid simply known as Payon spirits. She found it difficult to believe it was distilled from mountain-grown potatoes but she didn't care so long as it kicked her in the head like it did. Baelthran looked at Makaelthos in concern and discreetly gestured that he was leaving it to the crusader to moderate his partner's drinking. Eliarainne filled her glass with the spirits and drank it empty with one pull. She relaxed a bit as the throbbing was replaced by a mind numbing state that was brought on by the Payon spirits. Makaelthos took a sip from his own glass. He knew better than to suggest anything to his partner right away.

"Hey, Makaelthos." Eliarainne nudged her partner gently. He didn't answer but he did give her his attention. "What do you think would have happened if I had trained as a blacksmith instead of a knight?"

Makaelthos took another sip of his wine before replying. "Then you would have become one." He answered. "Kreizen would be overjoyed and I will doubtlessly spend my time listening to you two compare notes on both crafting and trashing either unsatisfied customers or foolish competition."

Eliarainne drained her second glass. "But then, I probably wouldn't have met you or Kreizen." She said. "If I had let my father have his way I would have probably been stuck in some private merchant's guild while the rest of you had your adventures."

Makaelthos looked back to those days. The time he spent with his companions was the last year of his swordsman days. "Maybe, but I think we would have ended up dead if we adventured without you."

Eliarainne smiled a bit before draining her third glass. Makaelthos suddenly fell into a thoughtful silence. "Hey, Makaelthos." She poked him out of his thoughts.

Makaelthos looked up again. "Yes?"

Eliarainne drained her fourth glass. By that time, Makaelthos noticed that her cheeks were already flushed and her bright hazel eyes were glassy and slightly unfocused.

"Why did you choose to become a crusader anyway?" She asked.

Makaelthos remained silent. He had been in conversations with a drunk Eliarainne before. She usually let him stay silent while she was sober but she poked and prodded once she started downing drinks. Still, this was the first time in five years that she prodded him about his past decisions. The argument between her and her father must have been much worse.

The dream of crusaderhood had appeared so distant back then. If he hadn't chosen it he would have become one of those rogue knights; riding with Trynis and the rest of NightKnife. Prontera would have put a price on his head. Who knows, it might have been Eliarainne who would have come to collect. "You could say that it was inspired by someone." He answered.

Eliarainne drained her sixth glass. She was finding it difficult to talk coherently. "Inspired…eh?" She said. "What about your parents?"

Makaelthos tried to remember his own parents. It was impossible. His earliest memories were of his childhood with Trynis Eviskrae. They lived under the care of Kallifen, a retired assassin who served as Trynis's bodyguard.

"Makaelthos?" His partner prodded him.

He focused on her; clearing his mind of unwanted memories of Trynis. Eliarainne looked ready to tip over and fall snoring across the bar. The other patrons, while there were few of them, watched him cautiously. "I think you've had enough." He said.

Eliarainne drained her seventh glass and set it down on the bar hard. "Leave me alone!" She groused. "I'll say if I...had 'nuff!"

Makaelthos discreetly signaled for Baelthran to take the bottle away. The evening was getting late anyway. "We should turn in for the night, Eliarainne." He said. "We have work in the morning."

Eliarainne stared glassily at Makaelthos. "And to think he wants me to marry some merchant." She laughed.

Makaelthos helped his partner rise to her feet. He sighed as he put her arm around his shoulder and walked towards the knight barracks. Her flush deepened. He could not guess whether it was from drunkenness or embarrassment. It was likely from both.

"Thanks." She whispered.

Makaelthos watched as a couple of knights from the First Knight Division passed them. The two saluted him before moving on. The sight of the crusader helping their drunken Knight Commander was a familiar sight to them. Although, the Knight Commander seemed drunker than usual. It happened whenever she visited her father.

The First Knight Division hated Cafilex Sialsanderin. His frequent meddling caused their Knight Commander to either drink or go berserk. Both cases were considered equally dangerous. Either the Knight Commander would trash someone after her visit or get drunk and trash someone in the morning when her mood was darkened by hangover.

Makaelthos then accompanied Eliarainne to her quarters; half-carrying and half-dragging her there. She staggered inside and began to remove her armor. Without much success though. Her fingers fumbled at the straps and buckles and her blurry eyesight wasn't helping either. He shook his head and began to undo the buckles and straps that held her full plate in place. She shifted uncomfortably as he placed her breastplate on the stand where she kept it. He untied the strings on her gauntlets; placing them on the table and then unstrapped her halberd and the short sword she had buckled to her waist. He even undid the overlapping metal plates that formed an armored skirt over the cloth one she wore. He stopped at her leggings and boots though. Time and again he had helped her with her armor when she was like this. He never undid her boots or her leggings. He was reminded too much of things he did before. That much he left to her.

"Sorry." She said, her voice already husky and slurred.

Makaelthos prepared to leave. "No need for that." He answered. "Try to drink more slowly next time though."

Eliarainne mustered a smile. The flush on her cheeks deepened as she looked at Makaelthos.

"If I had to marry one of my father's candidates-"

Makaelthos stopped momentarily.

"I'd sooner marry you."

Makaelthos concealed a slight smile of amusement. "That's the Payon spirits talking." He replied. "Get some sleep, Eliarainne, you really need it now."

Eliarainne forced a chuckle and watched as her partner entered his own quarters. When she was sure that he was gone, she let out the sigh she had been holding in. 'Is it…?' She asked herself.

There was no need to change clothes. She wore a simple red shirt underneath her armor as well as a plain skirt that was concealed by the metal one she wore as part of her armor. The clothes were comfortable enough to sleep in. She fumbled with her boots and then let them drop on the floor. Her armored leggings were a bit of a problem. After hopping about trying to get the leggings off, she finally succeeded. She let them drop the floor; she was too tired and drunk to bother with tidiness. Another problem appeared before her though. Eight beds confronted her; each one was identical to her real bed.

* * *

Makaelthos stared at his own quarters. His room, no more than twenty feet on all sides, was a simple combination of all the essentials of a house. His bed was to the right side, nothing more but a simple mattress on top of a large wooden box. Another mattress was laid out on the floor next to it. Next to the beds was a chest for his clothes and personal items. A small table, good for two, four if they didn't mind sitting at close proximity, was a few feet from the bed. Cooking utensils, a working oven and a sink dominated the right side of the room. Khaesilya was leaning on the dining table. She had fallen asleep trying to wait for him. "If she wasn't a swordsman then-" He said to himself.

A voice, a familiar, female voice spoke behind him. "We would still be working together, Makaelthos."

Makaelthos did not bother turning. He spoke the name on instinct.

"Trynis Eviskrae."


	18. Indomitable pride

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 16: Indomitable pride**

"I know what you mean. I have to go, Sei. Say hello to Kreizen for me."

With those words, Eliarainne Sialsanderin left the infirmary; leaving Seihanine to her thoughts. There were no other injured people in this room of the hospital; leaving her to think alone. The infirmary was too small for her. Its white marble walls, surpisingly free of smudges or bloodstains despite decades of seeing to the injured, seemed to stifle her with each passing minute. The place was too compact. There were too many beds in a room, there were not enough windows and the few that were there were far too small to allow much air or light. When she let her thoughts wander briefly, she suddenly realized that there would have been injured people brought here who were beyond any healing spell. How many of Prontera's soldiers died here? The walls suddenly resembled a tomb's, grim and uncaring, indiscriminately absorbing dying screams and wails of grief. She shook her head of such awful thoughts. It was probably just because she didn't like indoors. Kreizen had mentioned earlier that it was because she spent too much time out in the wilderness and in isolation. She tested her left shoulder gingerly and winced. Silmeia's spell had closed the wound but her body still had to recover from the trauma of getting shot by an abysmal knight.

The gentle creak of the front door opening brought her hands instinctively to the gakkung near her bed. She relaxed when she looked at her visitor. The moment he poked his head through the door, she could tell who it was by the tousled, green hair and the pointed, magic instructor's hat. Trenzein Zaisen entered the room with a flourish; his lips in a smile of confidence as if he had just walked on stage and before an appreciative crowd. He took off his hat and stared at her for a while. Seihanine stared back quietly; waiting for one of the wizard's remarks that would either be annoying or downright strange.

"So how's our invalid?" Trenzein suddenly asked. His smile grew wider with satisfaction when his remark caused Seihanine to bristle. He enjoyed teasing her and nothing amused him more than getting her dander up. Maybe because it was so hard to do. Most of the time she won't even answer or just tell him to focus on some task at hand. He was quite sure that she bristled only when she was in a good mood. After a month of being cooped up in Geffen with only the council and elder council for company, he had missed even her cold shoulders. Although he wasn't just going to flat out and say that.

"Invalid! I can take three more injuries like this and still be able to shoot down a squad of orcs, Zein!" Seihanine shot back. She knew it. Not even a proper greeting from the man. One day he just announced that he had to leave for Geffen and stay there for an entire month for some spell revision theory he had to present to the Magic Academy Council. Not a word from the man for an entire month and the first ones he would utter after they saw each other for the first time was to call her an invalid.

Grinning, Trenzein turned a chair about and sat down facing its back rest. Resting his arms in front of him; he settled down on next to Seihanine's bed. "Oh, a squad of orcs she says!" He said with a smirk. "Would it be one you had killed off previously, meeting up with you in the afterlife?"

Seihanine bit down on her lower lip to control herself. It wasn't working. She respected Trenzein's power as a wizard; admired it in fact, but she wished that he wasn't so proud about it. "And I suppose the great Trenzein Zaisen can survive a shot from that abysmal knight's bow?" She asked back.

Trenzein raised an eyebrow. He had her going at what he wanted. He paused for a while, like an actor pausing before some dramatic moment. "The great Trenzein Zaisen won't even let the abysmal knight shoot in the first place." He announced. He flashed a grin after that, like a performer pulling a rabbit out of his hat for a child.

Seihanine shifted her attention from the wizard to her wound. It was annoyingly painful as it was but now it seemed doubly so with Trenzein noticing it. "Let me tell you this, Zein". She insisted. "If my brother and the rest of those knights had decided to engage then I would have shot down that abysmal archer before it could draw a second arrow!"

Trenzein rested his chin on his arms and studied Seihanine lazily. "You make it sound as if that injury doesn't mean anything to you." He commented.

Seihanine stared at Trenzein; wondering how to respond to the shift in his attitude. There was something about him that provoked her so easily. It was in the way he wore the flowing, gray cloak that symbolized his rank as a wizard so casually. It was in the self-assurance that tinged his every word. She often prided herself for her control of her emotions and he had a knack of testing that control. She couldn't understand it. When he teased her like this, she always seemed to get more worked up than usual. "It doesn't!" She answered. "Silmeia is worrying too much. I can handle this injury without all this pampering! I won't die like-!" Seihanine stopped herself. It was merely a month since Lystra died at the hands of an abysmal knight. The topic was still an unspoken taboo among her companions. As she had experienced first hand, she knew that the wrong comment about the whole thing would bring down the unwelcome wrath of the priestess. Whatever Silmeia thought or felt; she kept it to herself. Seihanine did not want to evoke the gloomy atmosphere that came with every mention of Lystra's name.

"Then you won't mind taking a walk with me."

Trenzein's words cut through Seihanine's reverie like one of her own arrows. For a moment she stared at him blankly. "...What…?" She asked.

Trenzein watched Seihanine with undisguised amusement. He knew that it was the right time to suddenly slip in that invitation. He just loved that extremely rare, dumbfounded look in her eyes each time he did it right. "I said you won't mind taking a walk with me if your injury means nothing." He repeated. When Seihanine stood up and muttered something before collecting her equipment. Trenzein knew that he had this round. He caught the muttered words and grinned triumphantly.

"Arrogant bastard." Was the last thing Seihanine said before they walked out of the infirmary.

* * *

Several minutes later, Seihanine found herself walking beside Trenzein by the main pronteran square. She began to wonder on how he always managed to talk her into these things. She normally didn't like walks that led nowhere. It wasn't that she didn't like his company though. While she would never admit it to anyone, his breezy and playful wit often lightened her darker moods. She could use that right now; with the colony being overrun by orcs and the Lord of Death prowling the surrounding lands.

"So how was the colony?" He asked. "Before it burned down, I mean."

Seihanine watched as the sun began to set. It had been a tiring day for her. Surviving the ambush on her patrol, fighting off a horde of orcs to cover her brother, encountering Osiris and the doppelganger and then getting shot by an abysmal knight left her with little energy for serious discussion. She couldn't relax being cooped up in the hospital though. Perhaps a walk and some conversation was for the best after all. "Dull at the very least." She replied. "That colony was built to house everyone the pronteran government didn't want in the city. So that's what it does; house. Anything else, it fails at."

Trenzein stared at Seihanine carefully. It was so hard to determine what she felt at the moment. Her eyes were ice blue and slanted giving the constant impression of coldness. At times, they looked like frozen ponds in the dead of winter . He could not easily read her emotions from such eyes. Even her movements were controlled despite their grace and fluidity. Her slender form seemed to glide along instead of walking. That, combined with her smooth, pale skin, gave her an air of frailty. It didn't help alleviate this image that she was shorter than both Eliarainne and Silmeia. This frailty was limited to appearances though. He had yet to meet a tougher, more efficient hunter than Seihanine. Her arms may be slender but they concealed the wiry strength that was developed from constant use of the bow. She was agile, a fast runner and an excellent shot with ranged weapons. That, combined with her extremely keen senses, made her a great scout. "Does that include you too, Sei?" He asked.

Seihanine tried to guess what Trenzein was implying. His remarks always meant something else. She wondered if it was to serve the some purpose or if he was trying to amuse himself with her reactions. He often acted on impulse, a habit that she often considered dangerous. While he was highly intelligent, quick-witted and confident, he was also reckless and often endangered himself by getting into situations that were more serious than what he expected. It wasn't that he couldn't handle himself though. Unlike many of the wizards she had met, he was no stick-thin bookworm. Of course he was lankier than both Makaelthos and Kreizen but he wasn't lacking in physical fitness. Kreizen dwarfed a lot of men and Makaelthos was a hardened warrior after all. Nonetheless, his shoulders were noticeably broader than most Geffenians. His skin tone was slightly lighter than Makaelthos's but not quite Pronteran. He stood at equal height with the crusader though. "My brother got into a fight with the blacksmith guild, remember?" She answered. "He was the one to be sent originally. I just volunteered to serve with him."

Trenzein shrugged his shoulders. His strangely golden eyes seemed to reflect the last light from the setting sun. "That's Reiz alright." He said. "He sets the bar high and then beats everyone who fails to meet it into a pulp. You'd think he didn't realize that a temporary exile was coming after his fifth scrap!"

Seihanine's eyes narrowed. She didn't like the way Trenzein said that. Her brother's temper was notorious and it was true he often acted on impulses but that didn't merit any taunting from anyone. "Zein, if you meant that as an-"

The wizard interrupted the sentence with a raised hand. "Of course he only beat me to it." He continued. "Not that I'm setting the bar any lower or going easier on anyone not meeting it. Isn't it ironic that I spent a month with my "wizardly brethren" only to find them all fools and that the only one who shares my way of thinking is a blacksmith?"

Seihanine hid a ghost of a smile. Trenzein also had problems with the Magic Academy; which he often referred to as a gathering of doddering old fools disguised as scholars. Not just behind their backs too. He called one elder council member from the academy "As intelligent as a marine sphere" and another as "a talking mass scooped out of a minorus's rear". The feeling was mutual. Many from the academy branded him as a free-wheeling punk who "flashed" his way to wizardry. He and Kreizen were alike in that way. "So how did it go with your spell revision?" She asked him.

Trenzein shrugged his shoulders again. He had been working on a revision of the Jupitel Thunder spell. After months of research, he had found ways to increase its power and, during the last month, he had gone to Geffen to present his findings to the academy. The decision was a sudden one. His friends knew that he was working on something important but they didn't expect him to just go to Geffen by himself only to write to them that he had to stay there for his presentation. He wasn't clear on the reasons, even to himself. He conceded that he wanted to do it alone so his friends wouldn't have to see him dealing with the council and the elder council. It was an ugly affair each time he did. "The academy rejected it of course." He said. "It's to be expected; my spell revision will never appeal to such short-sighted fools."

Seihanine watched as the sky darkened in night. Trenzein had tried to explain his spell revision to his friends while he was in the middle of researching it. Though she did not bother comprehending the magical calculations and spell theories, she did understand that Trenzein's version of Jupitel Thunder was hazardous to the caster. Nevertheless, he was extremely proud of his work. He scorned the idea of not casting it out of fear of pain and would not listen when she told him to be careful.

"A spell this powerful is bound to have some sort of backlash!" Trenzein went on. "I don't understand why they have to-!"

Seihanine shifted her attention back to the wizard. Trenzein continued to ramble about how his revision should have been accepted and how blind and cowardly the academy's elder council was. She forced down another smile. For a moment, she could see her older brother rambling about the poor quality of weapons and armor from the blacksmith guild. "Your spell does have the potential of killing its caster, Zein." She interrupted him. "It's no wonder they don't want it developed."

Trenzein was about to say something when Seihanine hushed him. He followed her gaze towards Baelthran's tavern. A furious-looking Eliarainne pushed open the free-swinging doors and entered. A moment later, they heard her shout for a bottle of Payon spirits. Seihanine shook her head. She had no idea what sort of comfort the knight could possibly gain from being drunk and a hangover.

"There she goes again." She muttered.

Trenzein smiled in amusement. "I'll bet my cloak that Makaelthos is inside already."

Seihanine walked on. "You'd win of course." She replied. "I have to see how my brother is doing, Zein. Chances are he's already beating down some profit-minded blacksmith. Are you coming?"

Trenzein kept in step with her and shrugged. "I've got nothing better to do anyway." He replied. "Besides I've been meaning to discuss something with your brother."

The two were about to head for Kreizen's shop when they were stopped by another wizard. Trenzein recognized the exposed cheek bones and vulpine features at once. The stringy red hair tied in a pony tail was also a dead give away.

"Trenzein Zaisen, correct?" The wizard smirked when he asked the question.

Trenzein concealed his hands underneath his cloak. The red-haired wizard was Daegan, one of Koullufen Aethernas's apprentices. Koullufen was a member of the academy elder council.

Seihanine's eyes glanced at Trenzein. Catching the forbidding look on his face, her own hands went to her gakkung.

"That's me, Daegan." Trenzein answered. "So what could your business with me be all about? As I recall, your marine sphere master was the one who opposed me the most during my presentation."

Trenzein had not bothered reminding Daegan that he had hurled, at least, twelve different insults at the wizard. Most of them involved primitive marine life, others about animal filth and a particularly nasty one he picked up from Makaelthos that had something to do with beating hodes.

Four more wizards appeared behind Daegan. Their maroon cloaks showed their status as students of Koullufen. "Master Koullufen has proposition for you, Trenzein." He continued. It regards your "spell revision". Follow me."

Trenzein glanced at Seihanine, who fingered four arrows in her quiver. 'Four assassins, eh?' He thought. 'Koullufen must really want me dead then.'

Daegan led them to one of Prontera's darker alleys. There were many of them near the market district where Kreizen kept his shop. Almost immediately, the wizards surrounded the two. Seihanine drew her bow. "Eight against two…near even odds don't you think, Zein?" She asked him. She knew the answer of course.

Trenzein's hands crackled with arcs of white energy. The same magic caused his eyes to seemingly glimmer a menacing yellow in the darkened alley. There wasn't a trace of worry in his voice when he spoke. "Near even? Don't insult me, Sei!" He turned his nose up at their enemies as he said so.

In response, an assassin leaped from the shadows behind Trenzein; a katar ready to plunge to his exposed back.

Seihanine was quicker in reaction though. She had been watching the men encircling her and Trenzein even before they made their way towards the alley. The katars were still a few feet from Trenzein when two of her arrows struck the assassin on the chest squarely on the chest; knocking him back into the shadows. She stepped aside; expecting the first spell from her companion to fly.

Sure enough, a jet of freezing air erupted from Trenzein's palm. The blast of cold struck one of the wizards, trapping the man neatly in the ice crystals that formed around him. Trenzein placed his back against Seihanine's; a precaution against further stabs to the back, and began casting another spell.

Daegan and his allies were about to begin casting spells of their own when the huntress whistled. Before they could react, a falcon suddenly descended on one of them. Steel-tipped claws tore through the shoulder of another wizard, sending him shrieking in pain. Blood spattered on the pavement and the man's spell was lost.

Trenzein concentrated on his palm. The alley lit up briefly as massive electrical charges began to collect on his palm. When he formed a fist-sized globe of lightning in his hand, he hurled it towards his trapped opponent. Bits of ice flew in all directions as the spell exploded on contact with the frozen wizard. When the icy debris cleared, a charred, smoking body was lying several feet away from the blast. Kalyx screeched as he flew past. Bits of torn muscle still hung from the falcon's claws when it swooped past him.

Seihanine ignored the wizards for a while and focused on another assassin who was trying to circle around her and get to Trenzein. She guessed that the poor fool thought he was being stealthy. Another pair of arrows flew from her bow; both finding homes in the man's chest. He slumped sideways to the pavement, next to the corpse of his companion. With two assassins down, she started aiming for the remaining two.

Trenzein pointed a finger at a third wizard and concentrated. Kalyx continued to harry the wizard with the torn shoulder; screeching loudly, pecking, scratching and buffeting the man with his wings. No wizard alive could have cast a spell under such an assault so Trenzein ignored the man for a while. He sent a swift, invisible "fist" constructed of force towards one of Daegan's remaining two companions and watched in satisfaction as it struck his opponent in the face; interrupting any spell casting and dazing the man for a moment. The thud of a body hitting the ground made him glance at his side. A third assassin fell to the ground to his right; several arrows jutting out of his neck. When he shifted his focus back to his enemies however, Daegan was all but complete in his spell casting preparations.

"Too late, Zaisen! I'll get you with this one-!" Daegan sneered. The sneer quickly turned into a gasp of surprise when another sphere of lightning shot towards him. "That's impossible! He just cast-!"

Daegan didn't get to finish what he was saying. He didn't even get to scream. His body slammed against a wall, still convulsing from the electrical currents that coursed through it. Trenzein wrinkled his nose at the stench of charred flesh even as his hands continued to crackle with electricity. Even as he threw the Jupitel Thunder with his right hand; his left was already forming another one. Another lightning sphere struck the last wizard while Seihanine's arrows found the last assassin. With their enemies dead, she turned her attention on him.

"Zein! Is that-?"

Trenzein coughed; blood suddenly flowing from his mouth. "A minor version of my spell revision. A stress on the word "minor" there. Let's see how Koullufen likes it now!" He laughed. He wiped the blood on his lip and walked on. "I thought we were going to see your brother. Coming, Sei?"

Seihanine nearly let herself smile as she walked beside Trenzein. The knights had to be contacted first and Trenzein's enemies would probably label him a murderer. They could really use Makaelthos's law-wrangling here and, perhaps, Eliarainne's influence. Not surprisingly, Trenzein did not look worried at all as he casually wiped some dust from his cloak. She allowed her falcon to settle on her shoulder.

"Arrogant bastard." She muttered.

* * *

**World notes**

**Geffen Magic Academy -**the current and only institution that allows for the training of mages. The Geffen Magic Academy is also the governing institution of Geffen and the repository of most, if not all, magical lore. All aspiring mages congregate in its halls to study magic. Those who aim for wizardry remain in Geffen while promising sages are sent to Juno. The academy is led by its elder council and a council underneath it.

**Elder Council - **the elder council is composed of the most accomplished wizards and sages in Rune-Midgard. It is convened only when issues regarding important matters for the city-state of Geffen or the Academy's lore arise. The elder council is composed of eight members; four wizards and four sages.

**Council - **The lesser council, or simply called "The council" handles the day to day affairs of the academy and the city. There are thirty members of the council and they include members of other professions not involved with magic.


	19. Guilt

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 17: Guilt**

"I don't need to stay here for a day over this wound!"

Seihanine's indignant response did not surprise Silmeia. She knew quite well that her huntress friend would disagree with her even if Kreizen had not warned her about it. As someone who spent most of her life outdoors, Seihanine just didn't like being confined. "It's for the best, Sei." She answered. "You need to rest that shoulder of yours if it's going to mend properly." Silmeia turned to leave. It would do no good to argue with Seihanine. Besides, she imposed the one day of rest more for her sake than the huntress's. She was frantic the moment she heard that Seihanine had been attacked and injured by an abysmal knight. For a brief moment, she thought that she would lose another friend to the armored abominations. She breathed more easily after hearing Seihanine argue with her. It was a sign that the huntress still had her vigor and strength. 'I'll have to tell Trenzein the news.' She reminded herself. Silmeia laughed inwardly when she remembered the frightened expression on the Trenzein's face. Few things ever scared the overconfident wizard but his friends knew that one sure thing that got him up was Seihanine. That the same was true inversely made it even more amusing. Silmeia suddenly bumped into someone in front of her. Surprised, she looked up and straight into the dark, concerned eyes of Sir Agranias.

"I…I'm very sorry, priestess." Agranias stammered. "I was not paying attention and I-"

Recovering herself, Silmeia smiled and shook her head. It took two inattentive people to cause a collision. "It's alright." She said. "I wasn't paying attention myself. So where are you headed, Sir Agranias?"

Agranias looked away when he answered. "I was just passing by, priestess." He said. "I was curious about the sudden commotion."

Silmeia studied the tall knight carefully. Agranias was such a mystery. It was obvious that he was hiding something; that his real motives did not reflect in his words, but when she tried to see beyond that she could find nothing and that intrigued her a lot. Agranias suddenly shifted uncomfortably. "Is there something you need, priestess?" He asked.

Silmeia reddened slightly and looked away. She had forgotten that she was staring so intently at the knight! "Um…no, Sir Agranias." She answered hastily; trying to move on. Seihanine's still resting, so don't disturb her too much alright?"

Agranias nodded and moved on. Silmeia watched as he left the infirmary. Ever since his duel with Sir Gardzen in the arena, Silmeia had started to look differently at him. His physical might was immense. Gardzen was among the tallest and heaviest knights she knew. Not only did Agranias dwarf Gardzen but he lifted the knight from his pecopeco so easily. It only worried her more though. What kind of knights could injure him so badly and what kind of commander considered him expendable? 'Strange, I can't seem to stop wondering about that knight.' She thought.

Silmeia dismissed her concerns about Agranias for a while and made her way to Spell Sanctum District. It was near the Pronteran Library, a good walk east from the infirmary, which was close to the center of the city. Trenzein usually stayed in his quarters during his visits to the capital; which were frequent ever since Kreizen had settled in the city along with his sister. Most of his time was spent researching spell theories for his proposed revision on Jupitel Thunder. Silmeia watched the people walk on the street. Prontera's atmosphere seemed to have changed a lot after the Lord of Death's visit. There was an edge of fear in the people's movements. The patrolling knights and swordsmen had the cautious look of concern as they roamed the streets instead of the casual friendliness they usually exhibited.

Her mood brightened when she noticed a couple of familiar-looking men. The first one was clad in heavy-looking, white plate armor. Wavy, dark brown hair fell softly across the man's forehead as well as down the nape of his neck. Silmeia easily knew that the bright green eyes and the boyish-looking face belonged to her close friend, Makaelthos Solcry. The one he was talking to was wearing a suit of well-worn but finely-crafted chain armor; a combination of flexible mail and elunium plates that was lighter and more flexible than plate at the expense of slightly inferior protection. A large two-handed axe was strapped to the man's back by means of a harness while a forging hammer hung by his belt. Both tools were obvious signs of his involvement in the blacksmith's trade. Short, black hair and blue eyes that easily resembled Seihanine's pale ones and the rugged, proud-looking jaw identified him as another close friend and Seihanine's older brother, Kreizen Xalascent.

"Ho, Silmeia!" Kreizen greeted her with his usual bearish roar of a voice. "How's my sister? She didn't give you too much trouble I hope?"

Silmeia smiled and shook her head. "Not at all, Reiz. How are you doing these days?"

Kreizen grinned and clapped the her on the back. "Same old Sil!" He said. "You probably had to tie her down before you could cast a healing spell on her! My business is doing great by the way-" Kreizen's expression darkened slightly. "-ice and fire enchanted weapons are in high demand. The idea of an orc invasion has gotten this city into an uproar."

Silmeia nodded in agreement before addressing Makaelthos. "Where's Rainne? I thought she was with you." She asked.

Makaelthos shook his head as he answered. "Eliarainne's taking care of the incoming reports from the colony's surviving defenders. She'll be busy for a while but she did tell me that she was going to pay Seihanine a visit if her time permits." Makaelthos suddenly looked far away before frowning. Silmeia noticed the change in his expression and was about to ask about it when he interrupted her. "I have to go, Silmeia. Take care of yourself."

Silmeia watched as Makaelthos hurried off. She had always known that he carried a lot of secrets. Many of them revolved around his past, his former guild and its guild mistress. There were several occasions when he, his partner and, once in a while, Silmeia, had to deal with all sorts of shady characters from his former guild. Silmeia did not know much of the details. What she did know was that he had left one of the most infamous criminal guilds in Rune-Midgard. The members wanted him dead for that but there was always something stopping them. Once more, her thoughts strayed to Agranias; another person who was apparently on the run from his former allies. 'Here's another armored man with his own hidden agenda.' She thought. Out of the corner of her eye, Silmeia spotted several shadowy figures vanish into a nearby alley. Several missions with Makaelthos had taught her to watch out for the presence of thieves, assassins and rogues. She recognized the distinctive armbands that the figures had on. 'NightKnife.' She thought. 'What are their assassins doing here in Prontera?'

Kreizen clapped her on the back again. Silmeia winced this time and made a mental note to inspect her back later for palm-shaped bruises. It was obvious that he did not notice the figures. The blacksmith relied on his sister when it came to dealing with hidden enemies. "I have to go too, Sil." He said. "You're going to Trenzein's right? Tell him not to worry too much about Sei. She's stronger than he thinks!"

Silmeia smiled and nodded and then continued to walk towards Trenzein's quarters. Sure enough, the wizard had his face buried in a thick book. He was quick to look up, however, as soon as he noticed Silmeia's presence. "Sil! Is Sei alright?" He quickly asked. "Anything serious?"

Silmeia stifled some laughter at Trenzein's worried questions. "Relax, Zein." She answered. "She's fine. She'll have to rest her shoulder though. Do try to avoid agitating her too much, alright?"

Trenzein relaxed and grinned. "Don't worry." He said. "I thought she was badly cut up or something. I think I'll go and pay her a visit. Coming, Sil?"

Silmeia shook her head. "I just came from there, Zein." She replied. "You go ahead I'll just take a walk to relax."

The wizard nodded and promptly vanished. On the wings of a teleportation spell, Silmeia surmised. He always carried a clip infused with a creamy's ability to find niches in space and appear at another place quickly. She left Trenzein's quarters. She knew that it would only be a while before she was summoned along with the other Head Priests. Hunter scouts have already been filing reports that the orc hordes were moving slowly towards Prontera. The Orc Hero and the Orc Lord had their sights on the human capital.

"Head Priestess Silmeia!" Someone called after her.

Silmeia turned to see who called her this time. She recognized the voice as one of the younger acolytes in her division. "Airinn, right? What's the matter?" She asked.

Airinn, her short, curly blond hair falling down in ringlets as she bowed politely, spoke with a mixture of awe and apprehension in her voice. "Head Priestess, are you not with Sir Agranias?" She asked.

Silmeia raised an eyebrow. She had heard the whispers already spreading through the acolytes of her division about her and Sir Agranias. She would have to reprimand them about it later. Gossip had no place in the discipline of her division. "No, why should I?"

The acolyte fidgeted and glanced at her companions; Runi and Seila. Silmeia had noticed that the three were often together. Runi was tallest of the three; lean and wiry, she had the body of a boy her age and the short, dark hair of one. With armor, Runi could pass of as a rather feminine swordsman with ease. Seila stood around the same height as Airinn but seemed to cringe at the slightest attention and looked so timid that she appeared shorter.

"H-he was just here a few moments ago." Airinn continued. "He was asking about the whereabouts of Priestess Lystra's resting place. We thought that he was going to visit it with you." Airinn hesitated as she said the words. Everyone Silmeia knew would not mention Lystra's name unless necessary.

Silmeia's expression grew serious. Sir Agranias did know her sister! "How long has it been since he was here?" She asked.

The acolyte frowned and thought hard. The sudden urgency in Silmeia's words had her stuttering. "A-about half an hour I think. He couldn't have gone that far, he was having a hard time finding his way around Prontera."

Silmeia dismissed them in a hurry and went off. Finally she could find out something about Agranias.

* * *

Agranias made his way outside Prontera. He had to ask several bystanders, including a trio of acolytes who had spoken to him before, for directions just to find his way through the twisting streets of Prontera. He suddenly remembered the scenery from the last time he was here. The forest outside Prontera was different when compared to the ominous groves that surrounded Glastheim. The atmosphere was lighter and it didn't remind him of the death and decay that Glastheim's ruins represented. At last, he stared at the simple headstone that marked the final resting place of Lystra Cafilence. There were no epic tales of glory etched on the headstone nor were there any statues of Lystra's likeness. There was only a name in plain Pronteran. Nonetheless, Agranias approached the stone with reverence; careful to not so much as crack a twig or rustle some leaves as he walked on the ground. When he was close enough to reach out and touch the stone he stopped and knelt on one knee. "So they buried you here, priestess." He spoke softly. "It's strange, I barely know her yet I feel that this is exactly what your sister wants; to have you near the city yet away from its turmoil and problems."

A snort suddenly interrupted Agranias's reverie. A huge, black horse suddenly rode into the clearing. Strapped to its saddle was a tremendously large, black-bladed sword. Agranias smiled as he recognized the creature even as he led it away from the headstone. "Domnadriel, my faithful mount." He said. "You did wait for me after all."

The black horse whinnied in response and stamped its foot in impatience. Agranias stroked the creature's nose and focused on him. Domnadriel had been his horse since the day he was allowed to hold a weapon in his hand and that was at a very early age indeed. They grew up together and had been subject to almost the same spells by their creator. Domnadriel was also among the last few horses on Rune-Midgard. Agranias took hold of the sword and willed it to change form. His dark sword was a part of him and any weapon he touched could channel the energy he had in command and become the huge black-bladed weapon of his choice. If he withdrew the energy, the blade would revert to its original form. As his power receded, the weapon turned into an ordinary two-handed sword in a flash. "You'll have to change your appearance, Domnadriel." He told the horse. "I'll be staying with these people for a while."

Domnadriel whinnied once again. The horses of Glastheim were given abilities as well to serve as mounts. One of them was the ability to change their shape. The image of a powerful, black horse faded and in its place was a pecopeco; normal in all respects except that its feathers were slightly darker than the pronteran breed and it was larger as well, large enough to carry Agranias's massive form. Agranias smiled and turned to look at the tombstone once again. "I've decided to make changes in my life." He said. "I can never atone for all my mistakes but never again shall I follow blindly and commit the horrors of my past. Instead I will commit my sword to what I believe is good. I just wish you were here to tell me if I'm doing alright. Perhaps it's the reason fate led me to your sister."

Agranias felt a hand touch his shoulder. Immediately, his fighting instinct kicked in. Grabbing the arm behind him, he threw the figure over his back; a powerful attack in itself as he stood over seven feet, which meant the figure traveled quite a distance before landing. The figure landed on its back. His trained ears picked up the familiar whoosh of someone's breath being knocked out of their body. He raised his transformed dark sword and froze.

Silmeia kept her palm pointed at her attacker. Her back was aching from the impact and she was still trying to catch her breath. Nonetheless, a single thought from her would unleash the holy energy stored in her hand and straight into the knight's face. That was when she remembered who she was dealing with. "Sir Agranias!" She exclaimed.

Agranias found himself pinning Silmeia to the forest floor. His right hand held his sword in a one-handed grip; the weapon poised to thrust downward. His left forearm pressed horizontally against the priestess's chest. In an instant, he was off her and was already helping her stand up. Silmeia tried to straighten her messed up dress while she tried to catch her breath. "Priestess! I'm very sorry, I thought you were-!"

Silmeia smiled as she sat near her sister's headstone. "It's alright, Sir Agranias. I guess I shouldn't have surprised you like that."

Agranias was silent for a while as he stared at the priestess. As an abysmal knight, he had not had the chance to know beauty for his entire life. All he lived for was to serve the Lord of Death's every command, a fate similar to simply slaying any sentient being he encountered. Even before that, his existence had been only to kill. Only when he looked past the death and destruction he promoted did he realize that there were things not meant to be harmed.

Silmeia watched curiously as Agranias stared at her. There was an aura of mystery around him. His dark eyes were constantly filled with pain and regret. Somehow, she could understand his need to do so. She had been hiding her own pain and sorrow over Lystra's loss. The sudden similarity between them jolted Silmeia from her thoughts. She had to know what his relationship was to Lystra! She could no longer bear it. Her sister, the one person she cared for the most after their parents died in Glastheim, was dead. Yet she could not even cry for her. She had to be strong for Prontera, for her faith and for the other priests and acolytes who looked to her for support. She could not take any form of revenge, she had no way to rid herself of all the despair, anger and…hate. Finally, here comes someone who could ease the misery but he would not do so. "Sir Agranias-" She began.

The mention of his name brought Agranias back to the present. For several moments he remembered the priestess that had led him to this; Lystra Cafilence. As he looked back to her memory, he found himself admiring the priestess more and more. Lystra's hair was shorter than her older sister's. It was well-trimmed and carefully arranged so that they fell to one side of her face. She had the look of purity and innocence about her, two things that Agranias had found so foreign back then. Her light, brown eyes carried the same glint of courage as her sister's. In his memories Agranias could feel the radiance of the priestess right before he slew her, an aura of selflessness that he had grown to admire.

Silmeia was slightly different. While she possessed many of her younger sister's traits, she also possessed a maturity gave her an inner strength that radiated stronger than Lystra's. Her hair was longer than Lystra's; soft, glossy, black hair spilled all the way to her back as Agranias would imagine water would from a pitcher. Her eyes were darker than Lystra's hazel ones. They almost resembled his black irises if he looked at them from afar. Agranias could sense a great sense of faith and responsibility in those eyes, as well as a tremendous burden that she seemed unwilling to share with anyone. "Priestess, I-" was all he could say.

Silmeia interrupted the knight. "Please, Agranias. You do know something about Lystra, can't you tell me?" She asked.

Agranias shifted his stare to the headstone. 'Can I tell her?' He thought. 'Can I say that I murdered her sister when she's so devastated about it?'

Agranias's voice quivered as he caught a glimpse of the priestess's eyes. In that brief glance, he saw the great despair Silmeia tried to hide; a sorrow so black and terrible that even he could not look at it for so long. Still, he couldn't just- "I'm sorry, priestess. But I can't."

Silmeia stood up and straightened her dress. The sorrowful expression disappeared from her face. Once more all she revealed was a sense of quiet and determined strength. Agranias shivered as he watched the priestess smile gently. This was not natural.

"I have to apologize for imposing." Silmeia replied. "The sun is setting, Sir Agranias. We should return to the city."

Agranias nodded in agreement and slowly led his mount towards the gates. He had found his answer by Lystra's grave after all. He would stay by Silmeia's side and take on the immense grief inside her. Perhaps he would find a measure of redemption in doing so.

* * *

**World Notes**

**Spell Sanctum District– **this district was not intentionally created by Prontera's builders. Rather it came to be when the many wizards and sages who wished to reside in Prontera had their homes built near the great library, creating an area populated by spell casters. The place has since then been called "Spell Sanctum District".

**Horses – **Horses became extinct late into the Age of Glastheim when the species was ravaged by an accidental, supernatural plague created by Glastheim's priests. Only select few survived by being infused by dark magic but even those slowly died out until Grand High Priest Meil'then Sovivor, perfected a spell that transformed the last eight horses left into monstrous black beasts that would carry the abysmal knights into battle.


	20. Honor and loyalty

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 18: Honor and Loyalty**

Makaelthos Solcry was the first to visit Seihanine the moment he heard that she got injured. First that is, if he discounted Kreizen, who never left his younger sister's side. Silmeia couldn't be considered "visiting" either since she insisted on personally healing the huntress. He walked the hall towards the infirmary with Khaesilya. His partner had to manage the colony reports that came in. He had to smile when he remembered her words when they were returning from Morroc. 'And she says I'll burn myself out.' He thought.

Khaesilya smiled as well as she watched her master. "You're quite fond of her aren't you, Master Makaelthos?"She spoke.

Makaelthos turned his attention towards Khaesilya. Even after knowing her for a long time, he was still amazed by her telepathic abilities. Not only could she read someone's surface thoughts, she could talk mentally as well. At first, he had thought that all sohees possessed this ability. It turned out that it was a rare gift among them. While Khaesilya's powers had limits, such as her being unable to hear a person's inner thoughts, it was still impressive. "You're hearing my thoughts again, Khaesilya." He answered. Why do you think that I'm fond of Eliarainne?"

Khaesilya was silent for a while. She treasured the moments when her master was relaxed enough to banter with her. During the whole time she had been serving him, she had become well acquainted with his introspective nature. Even his surface thoughts were complicated things. He was quick to consider all sorts of options and notice every detail. As a result, he always seemed too serious for banter. "It's because the thought of her always makes you smile, Master Makaelthos." She said. "You're always serious when you think of your other friends."

Makaelthos paused for a while before opening the door to the infirmary. It was true and he had always appreciated that aspect of his partner. Eliarainne reminded him that honesty did exist. With her, he didn't have to carefully scrutinize every bit of information she divulged just to make decisions about what her motives were. It wasn't that she was predictable; Eliarainne could be cunning as far as combat was concerned. She didn't become First Knight Commander solely for her impact on her men's morale. But she had certain zeal in everything she did and would rather have someone genuinely join her side instead of manipulating them. Makaelthos found it refreshing each and every time he was with her. "Well it's true that the thought of Eliarainne always seems to make me relaxed or amused." He answered.

Khaesilya giggled slightly behind the sleeves of her robes. If that was the case then she would be glad to see Dame Eliarainne spend more time with her master. "She's also the one who always gets you tense and frustrated!" She said.

Makaelthos smiled at the sohee as he opened the door. It was also true that his partner's ways were still so strange to him even after five years of knowing her. There were plenty of times when he was actually tempted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her in hopes of causing her sense of caution to tumble out. "Another point taken, Khaesilya." He answered. "Let's see how another friend of ours is doing, shall we?"

Makaelthos found Seihanine arguing her older brother. As he stood there, he realized that nothing probably changed for the two of them. Seihanine Xalascent was still extremely concerned for about her brother's affairs and Kreizen still had a light-hearted view of things in general. He sometimes considered the relationship between the siblings as odd. As the older brother, Kreizen seemed more suited to take the role of the over-serious, protective brother while Seihanine seemed more likely to take the role of the carefree, younger sister. Instead, they seemed to have switched roles.

"Let me convince Silmeia to release me first before you pick another fight with them!" Seihanine argued.

Kreizen shook his head dismissively. "Don't be silly, Sei." He said. "You need to rest. Besides, I'm not going to pick a fight with them."

Seihanine looked worriedly at her brother. Makaelthos stood silently in the background for a while. It was a rare sight for her to display an emotion like this. She quickly noticed him though. In a flash, her look of worry was replaced by an emotionless mask. Makaelthos wasn't surprised. Five years had not been enough for him to fully gain Seihanine's trust. She was cautious; cautious enough for two people as Kreizen would say. She knew only a little of Makaelthos's history but she always spotted the shadows that flitted about him wherever he walked. That, combined with his tendency not to divulge information to anyone unless absolutely necessary, resulted in her trusting him least among the companions. Makaelthos did little to assuage that mistrust. He was not there to allay Seihanine's worries and, if she would not trust him, she could always trust logic and that was always his method.

Kreizen turned to see who Seihanine was staring at. At the sight of Makaelthos, his mouth split into a wide grin. "Makaelthos! Great to see you again, old friend!"

Makaelthos smiled and nodded. Khaesilya bowed respectfully to the blacksmith, who clapped her hard on the back. She winced but did not say anything. This was Kreizen after all. Makaelthos turned his attention back to Seihanine. "How are you feeling?" He asked.

Seihanine mustered a smile. Though she didn't like Makaelthos very much; he displayed a cunning she found disconcerting and a penchant for secrets, she couldn't count the number of times she wished that her brother was more rational like him. "I'll heal if Silmeia has anything to say about it." She replied. "And, believe me, she does. Is Rainne with you?"

Makaelthos shook his head. "Eliarainne's still handling the reports from the colony. She did say she was going to visit later."

Seihanine was silent for a while before speaking. She could guess that something else would occupy Eliarainne for a while. "What day of the week is it, Makaelthos?" She asked.

Makaelthos immediately guessed the meaning behind the question. It always happened to Eliarainne at least once a week. "The fifth." He replied. "I know what you're thinking; it's about time Lord Sialsanderin had a talk with his "wayward" daughter."

Seihanine's eyes narrowed. She seldom saw eye-to-eye with Eliarainne. The knight was reckless, noisy and prone to extreme bouts of violence; her brother in a woman's body and without the familial bond, but the both of them could agree that Cafilex Sialsanderin was an ass. "Nothing good ever comes from their talks, Makaelthos." She said. "You should convince Rainne to stop seeing that old fool."

Makaelthos allowed himself a slight smile. Seihanine may argue often with Eliarainne but she did show concern at times like these. "Me, Seihanine?" He asked.

Seihanine twirled a lock of her light blue hair around her fingers; a sign that she was uncomfortable with the subject. "It's because Rainne listens to you, Makaelthos." She explained. "She won't listen to Silmeia or me and Trenzein isn't really suited to talk to her about such things."

Kreizen shook his head. His voice was low this time and it carried an air of wisdom that didn't suit his boisterous nature. "Nothing will happen if we have to convince her, Sei." He said. "Eliarainne has to decide for herself if she wants to stop seeing her father. They're family after all."

Makaelthos was silent for a while. He had not expected the discussion to switch to Eliarainne's situation. Kreizen suddenly turned to face him. "You know your partner the best, Makaelthos. I'd wager you know her better than her own father! What do you think of her talks?"

Makaelthos looked out the infirmary's window. From his place he could see the palatial mansion that was Sialsanderin Manor. "I think Eliarainne keeps going anyway because she keeps hoping that maybe this time her father would learn to accept her decisions." He answered. "He never does, though. On the short run, it does seem like she has to stop but, then again, Cafilex is still her father. He's not going to stop being that if they never talk again. It's not proper that we interfere in her family's business."

Kreizen nodded in agreement. "Family business" was always an extremely serious topic for him and his sister. Clan Xalascent used to be famous throughout his hometown of Payon until a certain incident nearly brought about the family's destruction. Now, all he had was his sister. But now was not the time for such gloomy topics. "You're right as usual, Makaelthos!" Was all he said.

Kreizen turned to his injured sister. "I have to go now, Sei." He told her. "Do as Silmeia says this time. I have a feeling we'll face the orcs soon enough." Seihanine tried to rise in response; wincing as she put some weight against her injured shoulder. Kreizen frowned and got her to lie down again. "Don't be stubborn, Sei! I'm just going to work on some elemental weapons!"

Seihanine did not look convinced; although she obeyed her older brother. "The last time you told me that, my brother, I found you sitting on top of a pair of unconscious blacksmiths." She said. "The following day, I found myself traveling with you to the colony."

Kreizen grinned sheepishly. It was true. He did brawl with a pair of guild blacksmiths and it was for a small reason when he looked back to it. They were simply arguing about the price of their elemental weapons. "True…look I'll go with Makaelthos if it makes you feel better. Besides-" Kreizen's expression darkened. "-there's no colony to be banished to."

Kreizen and Makaelthos left the infirmary at the same time. Khaesilya excused herself and went back to Makaelthos's quarters to take care of its cleaning and to prepare dinner. While her master often reminded her that she didn't have to, she found a certain satisfaction in doing so anyway. The noon sun was already shining on Prontera when they left the white-walled building. After half an hour, Kreizen's mood seemed to lighten with the atmosphere. "Lovely day isn't it, Makaelthos?" He asked.

Makaelthos stared at the blacksmith in amusement. Half an hour ago, Kreizen was talking of orcs and invasion. All of a sudden, it seemed as if all that mattered to him now was enjoying the afternoon. Doing what he loved the most; forging. "I suppose it is, Kreizen." He answered. "It's hard to imagine that we might go to war tomorrow with this kind of atmosphere."

Kreizen looked over his shoulder and smiled. "Speaking of lovely, here comes our priestess."

Makaelthos smiled as well when Silmeia approached them. Kreizen was quick to greet her. Silmeia nodded in return before turning to Makaelthos. "Where's Rainne? I thought she was with you." She asked.

Makaelthos explained Eliarainne's preoccupation. That was when he noticed a familiar shadowy figure vanish into an alley. "I have to go, Silmeia. Take care of yourself." He said. "Leaving them with that hasty goodbye; he walked swiftly towards the alley. Though he barely caught a glimpse of the figure, his trained vision took note of the man's gray skin, the leather bindings and the wicked pair of katars strapped to his wrists. He soon found himself in an abandoned alley. "I know you're here, Creivil. Why don't you just show yourself?" He called out.

The only response to Makaelthos's question was a laugh. The voice was deep and raspy with an inhuman quality to it. He easily recognized the laugh. Sure enough the shadows parted as the gray-skinned figure walked towards him. "Sharp as always, Solcry. You really are one of the best." It said. "No wonder the guild mistress still hopes that you'll come back." The man grinned; baring teeth that have been sharpened to wicked points.

Makaelthos kept his hand to his saber. It took all sorts to make him resort to violence. He responded in kind to deadly force brought against him but he rarely wanted to kill his enemies. Then there were creatures like Creivil. The "assassin" was an injustice; a member of a race of degenerate humans that lived in Glastheim's ruins. He was a murderous thing kept in check only by the repercussions against killing sprees. He had tried to join NightKnife during Makaelthos's time in the guild; hoping to use the guild as backup to allow him to ignore the law and kill everything he saw. Makaelthos had naturally refused and Trynis agreed with him. Makaelthos would have been happy to kill Creivil then as well but the injustice fled back to Glastheim and the guild saw little benefit in chasing after him. Now, it seems that Creivil had finally joined NightKnife. Makaelthos had to know why Trynis allowed it. "That brings us quickly to the first point, Creivil. What's an injustice like you doing in NightKnife?" He asked.

Creivil laughed harshly as he glanced at the black and purple armband he wore. "Let's just say that the guild mistress needed some powerful and loyal allies after you left." He answered. "I fit the role perfectly despite having you opposing my joining the guild."

Makaelthos glanced at his sides. Among the shadows, several pairs of katars flitted near him. He also heard the faint, stretching sounds of bows being pulled. "I still do, Creivil. NightKnife has no need of a rampaging murderer like you." He answered.

The injustice's laughter blared once again. "Again it might be so, Solcry! But only if you were in NightKnife! You're not, even though the guild mistress has kept the position of being her right hand man for you alone. I plan to take that position; to be second only to Trynis Eviskrae in the strongest guild in Midgard!"

Makaelthos suddenly raised his shield as one assassin leapt from the darkness. A pair of wicked-looking jur slashed at him. Rivulets of poison splashed onto the shield's surface. Makaelthos blocked the assault with his shield, sidestepped, and used the assassin's own momentum to push him towards another attacker who came at him from another side. As the two assassins crashed into each other, he turned his attention to the rogues who were sniping at him. Several arrows hit his shield uselessly while he charged towards their direction. As he neared his target, he stopped and turned around; surprising the rogue who was about to stab him from behind. White light flared in the alley followed by the sound of a body falling to the ground. Makaelthos stood over the downed rogue; the cross-shaped gash he inflicted on his opponent's chest was still smoking. The other rogue, the one he was charging at, dropped the bow and pulled out a dagger.

"Enough." Creivil said. The rogues and assassins turned to face him. The injustice grinned as the fallen rogue struggled to get up and failed. Makaelthos's blow, while powerful, was not meant to be lethal. "You fight like a crusader, Solcry, but you certainly think like a NightKnife master. I will enjoy the moment when the guild mistress will finally permit your death."

In less than a heartbeat, Makaelthos found himself alone. He sheathed his saber and headed for Baelthran's; his favorite tavern. With his duties over for the day, he turned his attention to another situation. 'So Trynis still keeps me as her right hand even though I left the guild.' The thought wasn't that surprising. It would be just like Trynis to hold on after such a long time. She had him watched constantly and that reality never escaped him for a moment. Why he couldn't bring himself to go after NightKnife and bring everyone in it to justice, he couldn't fully understand. Perhaps because he couldn't let go as well.

* * *

A quarter of an hour later, Makaelthos seated himself on his usual spot at Baelthran's. He didn't like how the rogue easily occupied his thoughts. Five years had gone by since they parted but Trynis still lurked the shadows of his mind. It was bad enough that he had to encounter her during his mission in Morroc but it was even worse when he realized that it only took a brief mention from Creivil to evoke his memories of the guild mistress.

"Makaelthos! You're a bit early today! Anything special?" The barkeep, Baelthran, rubbed his pudgy hands together. Makaelthos and his companions were regular customers in his tavern. While Baelthran's was not in any way special, Makaelthos had found that it suited him well. He did not like staying at the classier bars that the other knights and crusaders frequented. The barkeeps there were snobbish and clearly didn't relish the idea of serving a "ditch knight". The shadier bars that were frequented by all sorts of thieves reminded him too much of NightKnife and the dark, tension-filled bars that served as the meeting places of the guild.

Baelthran's, on the other hand, was a small tavern that was on the verge of closing when he found it. The quiet and simple atmosphere appealed to him and, soon enough, to his friends as well. Makaelthos's friends brought other customers to help with business. Knights from the First Knight Division came when their Knight Commander started frequenting it. It was the only time they could see her relaxing and enjoying herself with something other than combat. Soon, other people began to frequent the bar. Kreizen's clients came to discuss details such as personal engravings on their commissioned weapons over a flagon of his favorite Payon spirits. Trenzein's like-minded colleagues; wizards who shared his distaste for the academy, came to discuss magical theory with their comrade and make fun of their academy's administration. There were even priests who ordered something before settling down to stare at Silmeia all night; discreetly of course. Baelthran owed his successful business to this group and he reserved the best table for them alone.

"I'll just have a glass of Morroc wine, Baelthran." Makaelthos answered. Baelthran was friendly but he did not prod much. Makaelthos also appreciated that.

Baelthran immediately filled out the order. Morroc wine was Makaelthos's usual. It was a potent drink; slightly thick and quite sweet. "Your friends joining you soon?" He asked.

Makaelthos shook his head before taking a sip of his wine. "Not tonight. Everyone's quite busy. I'd expect Eliarainne though." He replied.

The barkeep frowned and stroked his graying mustache. "That time of the week again, eh?" He said. "It's a good thing you're always here when she's like that, Makaelthos. Otherwise, she would have torn this place apart already!"

Makaelthos was about to reply when the tavern's doors violently swung open. He didn't even need to look to see who it was. "So how did it go with your father?" He asked offhandedly. It was more to start the conversation that out of actual curiosity. He already knew the answer.

An extremely furious Eliarainne Sialsanderin sat beside Makaelthos. Her fists struck the polished wood; rattling the glasses and bottles on it. When she spoke, her voice was livid. "Miserable as usual!" She snapped. "Baelthran! Payon Spirits! Bring the bottle!"

Makaelthos sighed inwardly. Payon spirits meant that the discussion between the knight and her father was worse than usual. He was going to have to restrain Eliarainne from getting too inebriated.

* * *

"I'd sooner marry you."

Makaelthos Solcry had to smile as Eliarainne said those words before stumbling towards her bed. "That's the Payon Spirits talking." He replied. "Get some sleep, Eliarainne. You really need now." With that, he closed the door behind him and locked it using the keys she had given him. It was a measure of Eliarainne's trust that he could come and go in her room at his leisure. 'Marry me indeed.' He thought. 'Cafilex will probably pay every assassin in Rune-Midgard to kill me before that happens, and Trynis-' Makaelthos pondered on his former guild mistress's possible reaction should the unlikely even occur. He put the thought aside though as he entered his quarters. He found Khaesilya asleep. She had prepared dinner for him as usual. Another thought crept into his mind. Something from the question Eliarainne had asked. "If she wasn't a swordsman then-" He spoke the thought aloud. He didn't expect someone to finish it for him though.

"We'd still together, Makaelthos."

Makaelthos turned towards the sound of the voice. "Trynis Eviskrae." He spoke the name as if it were a sigh.

Trynis smiled as she closed the door behind her. "How are you doing, Makaelthos?"

Makaelthos stared at the rogue suspiciously but he couldn't help but admire the guild mistress's flowing, waist-long, silvery-white hair, her lithe and graceful form and her- Makaelthos swallowed hard and focused on facing NightKnife's guild mistress as a soldier of Prontera. "I'm coping quite well, Trynis." He answered, keeping his voice neutral. "Is that why you're here?"

Trynis laughed softly. "Straight to the point are we?" She said. "Relax, Makaelthos. I'm not here on NightKnife business."

Makaelthos did not relax, though. There was always something unnerving about Trynis's actual physical presence. He had always felt her presence even when she was far away. There were the constant eyes on his back and then there was NightKnife itself. The guild had a hand in every shady business in Rune-Midgard. Every assassination ultimately led to NightKnife for the guild tolerated no freelancing assassins in its territories; which included every major city on Rune-Midgard. "And just what exactly is NightKnife business these days, Trynis? Killing sprees?"He asked.

Trynis's smile did not fade with Makaelthos's harsh question. "You must have met Creivil." She replied. "I had to make up for losing your loyalty, Makaelthos."

"Then why don't you give him my position?" He returned.

Trynis stepped closer to Makaelthos and put her hand against his chest. The elunium plates of his armor felt cold to touch and the expression on his face matched that coldness. "Because no one replaces you, Mak." She answered. "You know that."

Makaelthos stepped back. "Trynis, stop. It's over now. I'm not going back to NightKnife."

Trynis looked away. For the first time she allowed the sting of his harshness to momentarily mar her face. "I see…let's talk about other things then, Makaelthos." Was all she said.

Makaelthos grew even more suspicious. "What other things?"

Trynis's smile lessened. "How about your partner; Eliarainne Sialsanderin?"

Trynis quickly noted the reaction from Makaelthos. There was an immediate change in the way he tensed up. She had guessed right about them then.

"What about her?" Makaelthos's response dripped suspicion and worry. It was obvious to her that he was not comfortable about having this subject.

"What is she to you, Makaelthos?" Trynis asked. "That's quite the touching scene, you helping her take off her armor. I'm surprised that you didn't go the extra mile."

Makaelthos frowned at her hinting. Trynis was reminding him of what they used to do back then. She would ask him to take of her coat for her, then her boots…and then…he focused once again on the present situation. "I'm not like that anymore, Trynis." He answered. "Besides, Eliarainne is nothing more than a friend and my partner."

Trynis was not convinced. While she maintained a calm and amused exterior, it took effort to ignore the burn of jealousy. Who was this knight that she deserved so much of Makaelthos's concern? "Is she?" She asked. "Is that enough reason for you to wait for her in that tavern each time she comes from her home? That merchant in Alberta wasn't really going to lend you his warehouse if you didn't look like you were going gut him on the spot and I'm quite sure that you were resolved to do that if necessary. Besides, she's the reason for our situation now, isn't she?"

Makaelthos's voice became impassive as Trynis spoke. Her reasons also served as a reminder to him that his every move was being watched. "What I do, Trynis, I do out of duty." He answered. "Eliarainne is one of Prontera's best knights. It is my duty as her partner to keep her alive."

Trynis's eyes narrowed. Duty…it was all that Makaelthos talked about these days. "What about your duty as my right hand, Makaelthos?" She asked. "Just what makes you decide which duty to fulfill anyway?"

Makaelthos had only one answer for that. "Even when I was still a swordsman, I've had qualms in what we did." He replied. "Some might call it a conscience or a sense of honor. I just started listening to those qualms and, when I did, I became more at peace with myself. It's something I realized the day I decided to leave NightKnife."

Trynis stared contemptuously at him. "Honor…you've become so much like them, Makaelthos." She said. "Still, I will have you back though there's nothing much I can do tonight. I will see you soon, Mak."

Makaelthos watched as Trynis Eviskrae opened his door to leave.

"By the way, I don't think that was the Payon spirits talking."

Leaving that last remark as a warning of sorts, she vanished, leaving Makaelthos to wonder if he had truly stepped out of her shadow.

* * *

**World Notes**

**Injustice** – the original injustices were the gaolers and torturers of Glastheim's gigantic prisons. Due to the constant presence of dark rituals in their workplace and the crushing horror of their work, these men and women were warped to their very cores. When Glastheim was all but destroyed, they remained in their workplaces to be joined by other demons such as the rybios. Their corruption continued as they propagated until they became the injustices known at the present. Injustices lurk the ruins of Glastheim's dungeons and torture chambers. They practice their own twisted version of the assassin's art and are able to interact with humans.

**Payon spirits **– a potent alcoholic drink made from the potatoes native to the mountainous region of Payon.

**Morroc Wine **– a strong drink made from the grapes grown in Morroc.


	21. Moonlight

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 19: Moonlight**

"Listen closely, Eddga!"

The sound of his ally's voice caused Eddgal to stop smoking his pipe long enough to pay attention. What surprised him was that when he looked up, instead of finding the humanoid cat-form of Moonlight Flower, he found himself staring at a young woman with short, golden hair and pinkish-red eyes. He grinned and continued smoking. "I thought you were male, Moonlight." He growled. Large puffs of black smoke rose from his pipe. Those who noticed from a distance would think that a campfire was burning where he was.

The blond girl stared viciously at Eddga; her lips drawn back in a feral snarl. "I am male, dolt!" She snapped. "Don't let my appearance fool you, Eddga. This is fox maiden, the Payonese nature spirit whose body I took."

Eddga held his pipe for a while and stared quizzically at his companion. It was rather odd that such vicious words were coming from the small, pinkish lips of a little girl who looked no older than thirteen. "You mean…you're not Moonlight?" He asked.

The fox maiden's eyes narrowed with impatience. Apparently, all the sharpness in Eddga's body can be found in his claws and teeth only. "In some ways, I am." He replied. "You might say that I am an aspect of Moonlight Flower. But enough of that. I've just learned that Osiris and the doppelganger have "purchased" an entrance to Prontera."

Eddga snarled upon the mention of the doppelganger. The fake swordsman had dealt him several blows before laughing at his face while the mortals swarmed at him like ants. If it was a fair fight, he was sure that he could tear the shadowy immortal apart! "I will get even, doppelganger, even if I have to tear Prontera apart to find you!" He roared out his frustration and then blew out a large plume of smoke from his pipe.

"Eddga!"

The sound of Moonlight's now-feminine voice caused Eddga to look at his ally. He growled in frustration. He did not have an alternate form like Moonlight's nor a human-like appearance like Osiris or the doppelganger. Even he could not hope to breach the veritable hornet's nest that was Prontera where hundreds of mortals stood ready to defend their homes.

"Stop drifting off and listen to me, Eddga!" Moonlight continued. "I have a plan to counter that of Osiris'"

Eddga watched his ally with interest. He had acknowledged from the start that Moonlight was the thinker in their alliance. While he did not consider himself an idiot, he was aware that there were other immortals that were craftier than he was. He was never the type to use elaborate plans. "I'm listening, Moonlight." He growled.

The fox maiden turned towards Prontera's direction. After their failed attempt to absorb Drake, the two Payonese immortals headed towards the capital in order to absorb a couple of minor immortals; Angeling and Ghostring. Once more, Osiris had beaten them to Angeling. They compensated by slaying Ghostring and sharing his essence. "My present form will allow me to infiltrate Prontera-" He started.

Eddga grinned slyly. "-and win you several admirers from its residents, no doubt."

The fox maiden glared at Eddga. "Don't be a fool!" He snapped. "As I was saying, I can enter Prontera with this form but I need another touch of disguise to turn the mortals against Osiris and the doppelganger."

Eddga looked at Moonlight's "fox maiden" form. He knew little of mortals but enough to know what mortal men found attractive in mortal women. "What, bigger breasts?" He asked. "I have heard that most mortals are fond of such things. They could be useful if you plan to-"

Moonlight walked over and rapped his fist against Eddga's skull. "Don't strain your dull-witted head trying to guess what I'm planning, Eddga!"

Eddga snarled at Moonlight's prodding before settling down. "Fine, tell me of your plan then, fox maiden."

Moonlight turned his attention back to Prontera. "I will allow another aspect of Moonlight Flower to take control…and yes, Eddga, it means another personality."

Eddga was about to ask another question when settled down and kept listening as his ally discussed their plans.

"I must admit that I am not Moonlight Flower's original persona." Moonlight continued. "The original Moonlight Flower was a shy, weak-minded fox maiden who easily gave way when I took over. I'm going to let her regain control for a while."

Eddga returned to smoking his pipe. He did not like complicated matters such as multiple personalities and infiltration plans. "And what am I supposed to do?" He asked. "Sit here and do nothing?"

Moonlight began to tear up some of the cloth that was wrapped around his female body; exposing smooth, pale skin. "You, my ponderous ally, are going to provide Moonlight Flower with some unpleasant memories." He answered.

Eddga grinned and clasped his claws together. He could at least understand that.

* * *

"A hundred thousand gold zenny coins for this hastily constructed stick?" Kreizen Xalascent roared. "It barely passes for an old man's cane! Your guild is comprised of thieves, blacksmith!" He banged his fist against another blacksmith's bargaining table. A moment ago he was buying several bars of oridecon and steel when he had spotted the guild blacksmith selling several elemental pikes at prices he considered robbery.

"Watch your mouth, Xalascent! I won't have you slandering my wares!" The bald guild blacksmith stood up with his fists clenched. He was about the same height as Kreizen although not as burly. The crowd watched in anticipation. Kreizen was already notorious for his frequent quarrels with the blacksmith guild; quarrels that always ended up with a street brawl in the end, that is.

"This pike's point is badly sharpened and its shaft is poorly joined to the rest of the weapon!" Kreizen continued; pointing at the weapon's point. "It will break after a few battles so how the hell can you sell it for that price? The quality is so poor, even you are too embarrassed to put your mark on it!" The only thing forged in a pike was its metal head while its long shaft, well over seven feet of handle, was made of wood.

The other blacksmith upturned the table, knocking over the pike stand and causing pikes to scatter to the ground. "That's it, Xalascent!" He shouted. "It looks like a month of duty in the colony hasn't cleaned that filthy mouth of yours!" He raised himself to full height and swung a fist towards Kreizen; who sidestepped the attack and countered by smashing his right fist straight into the other blacksmith's face. The other blacksmith fell back; blood streaming from his nose. Kreizen kicked the man in the midriff causing him to double over. An uppercut laid the man flat on his back.

"Stay there until you can put your craftsmanship before profit." Kreizen growled. "I won't let you cheapen the art of forging with such lousy, cheap, mass-produced wares." With that, Kreizen took his sack of oridecon and steel and walked away. He did not bother explaining to the crowd when they began to talk about him. His reasons were as plain as the poorly-made weapons that had scattered on the ground.

"That's Kreizen Xalascent right? No wonder he's got the guts to pick fights with the blacksmith guild! Look at the size of those arms! He could pound weapons into shape with his bare hands!"

"The man's insane. He'll lose his trade to the guild if he keeps making enemies out of them."

"I doubt that. Have you seen his works? A bit pricey but marvellous! I can see why shoddy workmanship riles him so much. These guild blacksmiths will sell you colored sticks and call them elemental pikes just to make a profit."

Kreizen made his way to a small workshop near the great fountain that marked the center of Prontera. Among the tall buildings that served as homes for the wealthier blacksmiths was his low-built, modest home. A handmade sign hung outside the front door. It read "Weapons and Armor, Kreizen Xalascent: Proprietor" in simple writing. The lettering was plain and the sign itself was mere polished wood without any decoration. Kreizen was in firm belief that a blacksmith needed no fancy signs, enormous foundries, beautiful "assistants" or other forms of advertisement except the quality of his weapons. "I'm back!" He shouted to no one in particular. "It's been two months but I'm back!"

Kreizen opened the door and entered his smithy. His anvil was still there; its surface reflecting the sunlight that poured from the open door. He ran his hand over it. Few material things ever meant as much to him than the anvil in his shop. Constructed from emperium; rarest of all metals, the anvil was a source of his pride and the envy of other blacksmiths. It had once belonged to his father, who had it passed down to him from several generations of Xalascent blacksmiths. When he left Prontera for the colony, he had asked Eliarainne to make sure that his home was free of any robbers and the First Knight Commander promised its safety. In this small shop near the center of Prontera, he forged weapons of masterful quality. Many knights, crusaders, swordsmen and even priests considered it an honor to wield a "Kreizen Xalascent" in battle. With good reason too; his weapons never broke in battle, they were perpetually sharp and their elemental enchantments were extremely powerful.

'Slander their wares indeed…all I need to do is to forge good weapons to put their cheaply-done ones to shame!' Kreizen thought to himself as he ignited his forge and put on his leather apron. It was already late afternoon but he wanted to forge at least one weapon to ease his worries. 'A fire-enchanted claymore I think…something to help against those nasty, orc archers.'

When he deemed the fire was hot enough, Kreizen plunged a bar of oridecon into the flames. He smiled to himself as the metal slowly grew white hot; like starlight as he liked to describe it. Instinctively, he withdrew the bar when he knew that it was hot enough and then began the slow process of hammering it into shape. He loved the sound of his hammer striking the metal, loved it more than the music of a troupe of bards. Each time the hammer sounded, he considered it yet another step to finishing another masterpiece. Several hours passed before he was satisfied with the blade's form. With an oridecon file, he gave the weapon its keen edge. He plunged the blade into the fire once again. Suddenly, he thought back to what Makaelthos said earlier.

'War eh?' He thought. 'This whole thing started when Prontera decided to expand towards orc territory. Now the tribes don't just want their land back, they want the humans to suffer in the same way they did.'

Kreizen ground the flame heart he had prepared earlier along with a couple of star crumbs. Laying the claymore's blade, which now glowed with heat "like the sunset" as he liked to describe it, on the anvil, he poured the mixture into the weapon and hammered at it. The star crumb absorbed the flame heart's fiery properties as it melded into the metal. The right process was slow, exacting work. He frowned at the thought of using only one standard unit of star crumb and scorned the idea of rushing the process. Such corner-cutting, he believed, was the reason why many guild blacksmiths forged inferior arms and armor. His thoughts focused on what his sister earlier said about their friend, Eliarainne. 'I think Rainne is a great person. There's no reason why that old fool, Cafilex, feels the need to make her feel bad about herself. Rainne needs to stop seeing him until he learns to accept her.'

Kreizen had to agree with his sister though. Rainne could use some support from her crusader partner. He plunged the claymore into the forge for the last time. He could tell that the battle-hardened Knight Commander had certain…fondness for Makaelthos. Why the man never noticed, he could not understand. He refused to believe that Makaelthos was as dense as the plate armor he wore. 'He'll come to grips with it. Rainne's too impatient to just leave things as it is. Besides, these things have ways of just working out so why bother worrying so much about them?'

Kreizen withdrew the blade from the flames and inspected his work briefly. The weapon possessed no flaws; no cracks or notches of any sort. He dipped it into the oil and sighed as he heard the familiar hissing. He looked upon the weapon once more. Red-glowing metal was replaced by pure, silvery-blue oridecon that was flawless and utterly strong. The blade was sharp enough to cleave through flesh and bone with ease. Its fiery enchantments manifested themselves as a ruby glow that did not dim with the setting sun. The weapon was complete save for the hilt; which he will do later. He had to buy some gems for the hilt and some expensive metal for the chasing. He grinned with deep satisfaction. The same pleasure he knew his sister and their friends felt.

'They have their own ways to gain this feeling.'

Kreizen imagined the same smile on his companions. On Seihanine, each time her arrow found its target from a distance that made your average archer cry. On Makaelthos each time he completed his duty despite all odds. On Eliarainne, whenever she rode back to her troop after single-handedly destroying another group of goblins, kobolds, orcs or some other enemy. On Trenzein, after completing a tide-turning spell just in time and on Silmeia, whenever she ensured the safety of Prontera's soldiers. Kreizen looked out his window. 'Sun's down, time for a drink!'

Kreizen placed the weapon on his anvil and prepared to lock up. As soon as he got out though he found the body of a girl, lying on his doorstep.

"What the hell-?"

Alarmed, Kreizen lifted the girl in his arms and examined her. Short, golden hair fell across her face. Her unmarred, pale skin felt smooth to touch. He looked around to see if the one responsible was still around. When he saw no one, he brought her into his home. He laid her on Seihanine's bed and inspected her closely. He spotted a nasty gash on the girl's side, like a huge claw had struck her. He sighed with relief as he noticed that she was still breathing. 'She's waking up.' He thought. 'That's good. I think I have some red potions stashed here somewhere. Better find some of Sei's clothes too; this girl is barely dressed.'

The girl opened her eyes; revealing pinkish-red irises that stared at Kreizen in fright and confusion. He smiled reassuringly and handed her a vial of red potion. "Relax, girl." He tried to make his voice sound reassuring by lowering it. "I'm not going to hurt you. My name's Kreizen, what's yours?"

After several moments of hesitation, the girl accepted the potion and drank it quickly. Slowly, she relaxed in Kreizen's presence. "M-Moonlight, I think…" She answered. She looked around, trying to find something familiar in her surroundings. Failing that, she looked to Kreizen again. "Where am I?"

Kreizen's eyes widened in surprise. Moonlight Flower was a horrid cat-demon he had encountered in the caves of Payon once. "Moonlight!" He exclaimed. "What a strange thing to name a beautiful girl like you after Payon's most malevolent monster!" The girl called Moonlight cringed at Kreizen's reaction although she blushed at the compliment. The blacksmith had to smile at her mixed reactions and reminded himself how easily he startled people with the way he spoke. "It's a lovely name despite the association. So, Moonlight, tell me what happened to you."

Moonlight thought hard to remember. A vision of a monstrous figure covered in orange and black fur; all muscle and fury, running forward and swiping at her with razor sharp claws suddenly flashed in her mind.

"I was attacked by…a man-tiger."

Kreizen's eyes narrowed in suspicion. A man-tiger only meant the other immortal that Payon was famous for. He had heard the stories of how the First Knight Division encountered the tiger immortal during a mission in Alberta. "Eddga!" He growled. "What a coward he is to attack you!"

Moonlight suddenly clutched her head as the strain of recollection came to her. No other memories came to her mind. Kreizen placed a hand on her shoulder. "You alright? Just relax and get better first."

Moonlight suddenly recoiled from Kreizen's touch until she huddled into one corner of the bed. He drew back his hand and stood up. "I'll get you some clothes." He said as he backed away.

Moonlight glanced underneath the blanket and blushed furiously. She was wearing next to nothing! "Thank you, Mister Kreizen." She whispered.

From outside the blacksmith's house, though. Another pair of red eyes watched the shop grimly. The figure wrapped its cloak around itself even tighter, to hide any exposed bandage, and walked away.

'What a fool you are, Moonlight Flower. You underestimate the strength that the beings you call "weak" can draw from others. You will regret this move for sure.'

* * *

**World Notes**

**Star Crumb – **A star crumb is solidified mass of star dust, a special powdered substance found in mines near areas of strong magic. Large sources of star dust include the mountains near Geffen and Juno. Star dust is known for its ability to absorb elemental energies in solid form such as heat, cold and electricity found in flame hearts as well as its ability to fuse into metal at high temperatures to add elemental properties to the metal. Star dust is collected in mines and then fused together into brittle units called star crumbs by simply boiling in water. The star crumbs are then sent to their dealers then sold to blacksmiths for elemental weapon forging. Once melded into metal, star dust loses its ability to absorb elemental energy.

**Flame Heart – **A flame heart is a mass of fire in an inert and solid form. Flame hearts are formed from Red Blood, which are clumps of naturally forming residue from creatures naturally affiliated with fire. Collectors scour areas populated by these creatures and bring the red blood together. A mass fused from ten red bloods creates one flame heart. A flame heart's inert fiery properties can be brought out by grinding it with a mass of star dust, which causes the star dust to immediately absorb the released fire. Flame hearts also have frost and electrical equivalents.

**Pronteran Blacksmith Guild – **the Pronteran Blacksmith Guild is a powerful organization of blacksmiths created to safeguard the interests of those in the trade. It provides members with protection, funds and opportunities. Detractors accuse the guild of trying to get all blacksmiths into the guild as to create a monopoly on forged weapons and armor and raise prices.


	22. Prelude to war

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 20: Prelude to war**

_The knight found herself in the middle of a ferocious battle. All around her, men fought each other. They were faceless; features merely resembling each other until they resembled no one at all. The air was filled with the sounds of a hundred weapons clashing, armor ripping apart, war cries, dying screams and cries for mercy. One knight charged at her; two-handed sword raised for a killing blow. She was no easy prey though. Her lance punched through full plate, straight between his ribs, and into his heart. The man screamed; causing her lance to vibrate before she kicked the body off her weapon. More knights attacked her from different directions but she dealt them all the same violent death she dealt the first one. Blood sprayed everywhere; bespattering her until she was soaked in it. Some of the blood trickled to her lips._

_The knight licked it up and grinned; revealing sharp, pointed teeth. The blood of those she defeated tasted so...pleasing. It caused her own blood to quicken; making her faster and stronger, more able to slaughter her foes with ease and absorb more of their strength._

"_You're enjoying yourself, aren't you?"_

_The knight stared at the daunting figure of Baphomet. The goat-demon was massive; the size of four men stacked on each other. His fur was rust-brown, bloodstained and short. It was coarse like a mass of metal wires rather than hair. A pair of goat-horns curved backward from his skull and his jaw was slightly open; revealing rows of bloody, razor-sharp teeth. In each hand he held the halves of a dead knight. Blood dripped from his fang-filled mouth as he casually wiped some entrails from his furred chin. The bodies of several knights lay before Baphomet; each of them bore the marks of his massive scythe as well as his fangs. The goat-demon grinned and offered the knight the upper half of the man he was devouring. The corpse stared blankly at her with its remaining eye; the other half of its face had been gnawed to the bone. More blood spilled from the opening in its torso, where Baphomet had torn it apart. The knight smiled and accepted the ghastly offering. Slowly she sank her teeth into the cadaver._

"_Feast with me then, knight. I sense a demon inside that soft body of yours just waiting to get out…out…out…"_

* * *

Eliarainne Sialsanderin gasped as her eyes fluttered open. Her heart was racing. Cold sweat trickled down her neck and hair as the last vestiges of the nightmare receded. 'That was…horrible.' She thought. "I would never-" She pushed the thought away. Why she dreamed of such things frightened her more than the thought of facing Baphomet himself. A bit of sunlight caught the corner of her eye. 'Is it morning already? I have duties to-!'

That was when Eliarainne realized that she was laying face-first on the wooden floor of her room. Her bed was a few feet to her right. 'I must have missed.' She groaned inwardly. She clutched her face. It was a miracle that her nose wasn't broken. Apparently she had made a choice from one of the eight beds and flopped down face-first to sleep. Suddenly, a thunderous explosion sounded right outside her room; making her wince. The Payon spirits were taking their revenge for being downed so quickly. "What's that?" She grunted. "Is some crazy wizard raining meteors on the barracks?"

Eliarainne rolled over and sat up. A move she quickly regretted as the room spun around her. She clutched her head. It felt as if it had doubled in size and it throbbed painfully. Another explosion thundered right outside her door. The crazy wizard was right outside her room! Strangely enough the thought didn't sound right.

There had to be a simpler reason which didn't involve meteors but the Payon spirits were still fogging her brain up. Finally, an idea hit her. 'Wait a minute that sounds a lot like-'

Makaelthos Solcry knocked on his partner's door for the third time and sighed. Prontera's mornings were always foggy and cold; encouraging sleeping people to stay asleep. That wasn't possible for high-ranking knights though. A dull thud from inside the room was enough of a sign for him to take out his keys and open the door. He hid an amused smile when he found his partner sprawled on her back. "Good morning, Eliarainne." He greeted her; his tone neutral despite the absurdity of the scene. The disciplinarian in him frowned but he somehow could always forgive this. "Time to get up; we have a meeting with the rest of the Knight Commanders in a couple of hours."

Eliarainne groaned in reply and raised an arm. Makaelthos took hold of it and pulled her to her feet. She wobbled slightly and leaned against her partner for support. "Good morning to you too, Makaelthos." She said. "What's the meeting for?"

Makaelthos studied his partner for a while. Eliarainne's voice was still husky with hangover and sleep. Her eyes were bleary and bloodshot. He had expected this though; so he took out the bottle he was carrying, opened it and offered it to her. "Before anything else, Eliarainne, let's get rid of, at least, some of that hangover, shall we?"

Eliarainne took the bottle and took a pull. Immediately, she grimaced and put the bottle down. The liquid threatened to spill from her lips but she downed it all. "What is this stuff?" She demanded.

Makaelthos smiled. It was the concoction of another heavy drinker among his friends. "Horseradish, vinegar, ground green herbs and plenty of pepper, all stirred with the stalk of a white plant." He answered.

Eliarainne stared at the bottle and forced herself to take another pull. "Kreizen Xalascent's All-Purpose Hangover Cure, right? I just wish it didn't taste so awful." She gasped.

Makaelthos watched his partner curiously. Eliarainne was unusually pale this morning. The lines under her eyes spoke of mounting stress and exertion.

"Makaelthos."

Makaelthos turned his attention back to what his partner was saying. Eliarainne removed her hand from his shoulder and looked away. He could see that her cheeks were slightly flushed as she spoke. "You're always…doing these things for me; especially when I'm really mad at my father. I just want to say…thanks, it means a lot."

Makaelthos dismissed the thanks with a casual wave of his hand. "You're being too sentimental, Eliarainne. Besides-" His expression grew concerned. He had been thinking of what Seihanine had told him. "You should stop seeing your father so often. It's not doing you any good. Work alone is stress enough without him adding to it. I think some time without seeing you might give him the opportunity to better reflect on your relationship."

Eliarainne shrugged her shoulders. "I've noticed." She replied. "Every week, I go there expecting that he'd change his mind. That he'd tell me that it's okay to be a Pronteran knight, to marry someone I choose and to be partnered with you. I guess he's been expecting me to change my mind. Besides-"

A scene suddenly flashed in Eliarainne's mind.

"_I'd sooner marry you."_

Eliarainne avoided Makaelthos's direct stare and felt herself redden. Did she actually say that to him? Or had she dreamed the whole thing? Last night's events were foggy with too much Payon spirits. "Umm…Makaelthos?" She fumbled with the question, her stomach was doing a funny dance and it wasn't from the Payon Spirits or from Kreizen's Cure.

Makaelthos raised an eyebrow. From the way Eliarainne was blushing, he guessed it was probably something from last night. "Yes, Eliarainne?" He asked casually; trying to get her to relax.

"Did I…say something last night?"

Makaelthos stood up and prepared to leave. There was no point in evoking the awkwardness of that situation when they were supposed to be reporting for duty. "Not at all, Eliarainne." He replied. "You should get ready. I'll be waiting in front of the great hall of meetings."

He closed the door behind him before allowing himself to smile.

* * *

Seihanine Xalascent watched the rising sun from outside the infirmary. The first thing she did after waking up was to get permission from Silmeia to leave. Her injury had fully healed anyway. She remembered what happened last night and sighed in exasperation. She and Trenzein had arrived in Kreizen's shop to discover her brother tending to a young, scantily-dressed girl. The reactions were heated. Trenzein had burst into fits of laughter while she demanded to know what her brother was doing alone in their house with a half-naked girl; on her bed of all places. The girl had protested weakly at first, before the huntress silenced her with a glare.

It was Kreizen's turn to explain. All the while he fended off Trenzein; who was elbowing him slyly, and avoiding his sister's suspicious stare. The girl, he explained, was attacked by Eddga and she had managed to escape though she was badly injured. She had apparently lost most of her memory and was lying outside their doorstep when he found her.

Seihanine did not wholly believe the story. It was partly because the idea of a badly injured girl finding her way to the center of Prontera without the patrols spotting her seemed too unlikely to happen. It was also partly because Eddga was a hulking tiger-monster who killed swordsmen with a swing of his claws. It was strange that the girl could escape such a monster with only a light scratch to the side. Lastly, because Kalyx had bristled at the girl and watched her as he would an enemy. 'And that name…Moonlight? Is it just a coincidence?' Seihanine didn't think so. She had fought against the dreaded Moonlight Flower before. The image of the malevolent, spell-wielding cat-being was far from that of a shy, fragile-looking girl who appeared to be barely into her teens. Still, she had a bad feeling about Kreizen's "patient".

It wouldn't be something completely new either. Kreizen had a weakness for girls he considered cute; doting on them and commenting how they reminded him of her when she was younger. He also had a weakness for women he considered beautiful. He had a tendency to flirt with customers and new acquaintances. Seihanine remembered her brother even trying it on Silmeia when they first met. She was fine with that but she had also dealt with two female assassins and a rogue who tried to pass off as customers more interested in the maker than the product. They had thought the blacksmith was an easy target until they met his no-nonsense sister; a fatal error on their and their employers' part. Seihanine had to wait and see for this Moonlight girl though. For now, she had other concerns. 'Back to my duties I suppose.' She thought. She was headed for the main gates. As second in command of the Second Hunter Division, she often led the scouting patrols outside the capital. What surprised her though was the presence of a familiar green-haired wizard standing in front of the main gates. She gave out another sigh. "Zein, what are you doing here?" She asked.

Trenzein Zaisen grinned and produced a roll of fresh bread from the sleeves of his robe. In his other hand he held a hunk of roasted meat. "Breakfast." He answered. "Don't deny it, Sei. You haven't eaten yet and you're heading out for the patrols."

Seihanine moved past the wizard. While she somewhat appreciated the gesture, there was no time for such nonsense. She was no child to be looked after and fed! "I haven't the time for this, Zein!" She told him.

Trenzein responded by weaving through the air with his hands; chanting the language of magic with practiced ease. The air seemed to grow colder and it rushed towards the gates. Before Seihanine could figure out what he was doing, an enormous chunk of ice froze from the air. It quickly grew, extending until it touched the ground. When Trenzein ended the spell, it was already a large wall of ice; several inches thick and ten feet in length and width. The wall stood in front of the gate; preventing the entire structure from opening. The surprised shouts from the other sentries made it clear that no one had expected this. Smiling at his handiwork; Trenzein looked to Seihanine. "I think we can make time, Sei." He said. "That wall isn't going to go anywhere until you've eaten something. Oh, and don't bother wasting your arrows on it because I'll just conjure another one up."

Seihanine stared at Trenzein in disbelief. Wizards were discouraged from conjuring ice walls inside the city because it often caused undue traffic. In fact, spellcasting was usually frowned upon unless extremely necessary. After all, magic harmed anyone without regards to people or monsters. "The penalty for obstructing official business is one week of imprisonment with heavy fines, Zein!" She reminded him.

Trenzein shrugged his shoulders. He had actually worked this thing out with her older brother last night. "Kreizen told me he'll handle the fines." He replied. "As for the imprisonment, I can last a week."

Fuming, Seihanine grabbed the food and munched on it quickly. Trenzein grinned triumphantly and dismissed his spell. The ice dissipated at once; allowing the gates to open. Seihanine stepped closer to Trenzein and whispered harshly. "Don't do anything this crazy again, Zein! Promise me!"

Trenzein merely laughed and walked away. "If you promise take care of yourself, Sei!" He called out from a distance.

Seihanine let out a frustrated sigh and headed for her patrol. Before she could reach the gates though, she suddenly signalled for the gates to close. Trenzein knew the signal and activated his creamy-infused clip. The creature's magic bent space for him and took but a few seconds to send him to the top of the wall. His fears were confirmed when he looked out to the horizon.

On top of the gate's hundred foot wall, Trenzein stared down at a sea of orcs, goblins and kobolds. The horde was still a few miles from Prontera. It was no wonder Seihanine closed the gates quickly. He watched the smoke rise from the hundreds of campfires among the different tribes. By the gates, Seihanine was already shouting for a runner.

* * *

Makaelthos Solcry stared at the unfurled map before him. He, along with the gathered Knight Commanders of Prontera, was studying the movement of the orc tribes. Quai Hune, the Grand Knight Commander of the Pronteran Army; a veteran, middle-aged knight with grizzled, white facial hair, had calculated that the horde would reach Prontera within a week. This was based on the calculation that the tribes had to pass through the Lord of Death's newly acquired territory. Defenses were already being drawn up; ambushes, and advance armies-

"The orc tribes are here!"

* * *

Sir Althamas's voice cut through the planning and shattered any plans to prepare for the orcs. The message, once it sank in, alarmed everyone inside the room.

"What? That's impossible!"

"How did they slip past the Lord of Death?"

Makaelthos rose and glanced at Eliarainne. It couldn't be helped now.

"Knights, calm down!"

Quai Hune's voice caused everyone to settle down. He stared at the map briefly; silently cursing at the lapse in vigilance and lost opportunities, and then gave his orders. "We have to adapt! Get your divisions ready! At this rate we'll go to war this very afternoon!"

The Knight Commanders scrambled to get ready. Makaelthos watched as Eliarainne followed suit. What concerned him was the strange…eagerness that gleamed in his partner's eyes. 'War…it took them less than a week to start it. How long it will take us to end it?' He thought.

* * *

From across the pronteran fields, the Orc Hero grinned as he sharpened his sword. The tribes had force-marched until they reached this point. By afternoon he will order the first attack. The unprepared Pronteran Army will be crushed. "This will be our revenge against the humans." He told himself and he believed it. There was nothing more important than taking revenge on the oppressive humans. Not even this strange awakening and the presence of other immortals. He watched as his high orcs trained for battle. It was strange that they didn't encounter any resistance along the way. He had expected a showdown with the Lord of Death but the tribes had not encountered a single raydric. "To hell with the other immortals!" He roared. "Before the moon changes, Prontera will fall!"

* * *

From afar, beyond the sight of even the orc scouts, a silver-armored being stared at the tribes. Behind it rode seven dark figures in black armor. They stood there for a while and then rode off without a word.

Inside the city, the horns of war sounded. The knights were scrambling to man positions and to form their divisions. Civilians panicked as the news of the orc tribes' invasion spread. The fog was lifting and everyone knew that the first battle would come at noon.

* * *

**World Notes**

**Grand Knight Commander – **Prontera has thirteen knight divisions with more cavaliers than skirmishers. Each one is led by a Knight Commander who, in turn, answers to the Grand Knight Commander. It is the Grand Knight Commander who coordinates with his wizard, priest and hunter counterparts to determine the movement of the Pronteran Regular Army.


	23. Hasty preparations

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 21: Hasty preparations**

"Move faster!" Eliarainne shouted her orders atop Bristle. The sudden arrival of the orc tribes had plunged the city of Prontera into a state of panic. Civilians locked themselves in their homes. A few of the braver citizens watched as the army scrambled to get ready. The few eager ones who got in the way were faced with a glare from Knight Commander Sialsanderin. The First Knight Division quickly fell into well-ordered lines in front of the main south gate.

Sir Althamas, the division's second-in-command, saluted his commander. "Ma'am, First Knight Division ready for duty, ma'am!" He sounded off.

Eliarainne gave a curt nod. The First Knight Commander was an impressive sight to her men. An imposing bone helm rested on her head; its horns jutted from both sides, giving her the fearsome look of a horned demon. A pair of metal fins and a neck guard that extended from her breastplate modified to serve as a mouth protector hid almost all of her face. Her full plate gleamed in the late morning sun, revealing battle-tested elunium plates that promised protection against enemy axes or arrows. The armor was scratched in several places; marks that proved that it had done its duty before. More impressive were her shield and lance. The shield was strapped to her left forearm. Notches and scratches from countless battles did not detract from its hardness and efficiency nor did it lessen the beauty of the engraved two-headed eagle; the symbol of Prontera on its front. The lance was sharpened to a fine, wicked point. Its plain oridecon shaft shone brightly, as if boasting its power to easily punch through armor and flesh. Even Bristle, her pecopeco, wore a type of light chain barding. Sharpened oridecon tips were fitted on his claws and a metal horn was attached on his forehead.

One knight whispered to his friend beside him. "It looks like our war goddess is all set."

The other knight hushed his companion before staring nervously at his knight commander. No one wanted to annoy her with any sort of breach of discipline right now. Those who did were severely punished, sometimes personally, by being beaten up if their commander was in a particularly bad mood. "Keep talking and you'll be the first one she'll stick on that damn lance." He answered harshly.

The First Knight Division often referred to their commander as their "war goddess"; with good reason too. There has never been a situation when First Knight Commander Sialsanderin led them to a battle they could not win. Unlike some knight commanders who issued orders from desks or behind rows of guards, she was always at the front where she was usually the first one to break the enemy formation. She had, as the knights agreed on calling it, a military appeal. To those who had never seen her fight, she would look plain especially when compared to the radiance that surrounded Silmeia Cafilence like some sort of aura or the quiet and graceful beauty that was Seihanine Xalascent.

Most of the knights knew differently, though. Whenever they saw their knight commander fight, they had to fight the urge to watch in fascination. There was something in her lancing technique, her raw fighting power and the way she carried herself atop a charging pecopeco that somehow put her on equal footing with Silmeia and Seihanine. After witnessing her fight, they believed that anyone would never look at her as plain again. Riding victoriously from battle, with the pronteran army standard raised proudly and a fierce grin of satisfaction on her face, Dame Eliarainne Sialsanderin really did resemble a goddess of war and it was that appeal that attracted her knights to her like moths to a flame. Not that anyone was willing to get close enough to get burned. She was also violent with her men and no one, not even the veterans among them, was foolish enough to test her limits.

"First Knight Commander!"

The entire division of knights stared straight ahead of them, although out of the corner of their eyes they watched as a heavily-armored crusader walked towards their commander. Of all the soldiers of Prontera, only Light bearer Makaelthos Solcry was capable of dealing with their knight commander when it came to personal matters and they were glad for it. They were intrigued about it as well. Their war goddess seemed to trust him more than anyone else, other than Head Priestess Silmeia Cafilence who used to be her partner. He had a way to calm her down without ending up being carried away and he knew her behavior the most. In every way, Makaelthos Solcry was the perfect partner for the commander, although, the knights suspected a lot more than that.

Eliarainne turned to face her partner. He was accompanied by Khaesilya this time. The sohee bowed respectfully at her and stayed behind her master. "What is it, Lightbearer Solcry?" She asked.

Eliarainne and Makaelthos addressed each other by rank. Makaelthos was the First Knight Division's crusader specialist. During missions involving demons or the undead, he would advise the knight commander or even take over if necessary. Outside that situation, his task was to serve as the Church representative and to be the Knight Commander's healer. Eliarainne extended those duties, however. Makaelthos advised her against any opponent and she was usually better for it. They addressed each other formally at work. Although Eliarainne basically outranked Makaelthos, she always listened to what he had to say.

"The Grand Knight Commander has assigned this division to lead the spearhead against the expected initial orc attacks." Makaelthos reported. "We are to wait here until the Second Priest, Wizard and Hunter divisions arrive."

Eliarainne nodded and smiled underneath her mouth protector. She always took great pride in spearheading any attack. It was for their powerful lead charge that earned her division some of the highest honors in the army, including a commendation from Grand Knight Commander Quai Hune, and the King of Prontera himself, King Aelthorius I. "Silmeia and Seihanine's divisions, eh?" She commented. "What are the chances of Trenzein coming with the Second Wizard Division?"

Never one for small talk, Makaelthos gave a salute and removed his helm. "The orcs are facing the wrong direction. The wind will prove to be an advantage to our hunters. Keep your knights out of their archer's reach until the orcs are forced to move forward."

Eliarainne watched as the priests from Silmeia's division arrived. A few minutes later, the Second Wizard and Hunter Divisions lined up as well. Makaelthos hid a smile as Trenzein approached them. "I didn't know you were part of the Second Wizard Division, Generalist Zaisen." He told the wizard.

The wizard grinned and took off the tall, pointed hat he wore. Trenzein wore a magic instructor's hat with a casual carelessness that infuriated many of the lower-ranked wizards, who considered it an honor to wear one. "Just found out myself, Lightbearer Solcry. I heard about my transfer when I found out that the Second Hunter Division was assigned here."

Makaelthos nodded and turned his attention to Silmeia. That may or may not be true. Trenzein had a bad habit of ignoring army protocol to suit his whims. He seemed to instinctively know what Grand Wizard Commander Hakien Hyou would let pass or not. A generalist would useful anyway, in case the orcs had a surprise prepared. As for Silmeia, to his curiosity, the priestess was talking to the black-armored knight he had seen earlier. 'That Sir Agranias…there's something familiar about him.' He thought. Makaelthos approached the two slowly, his trained hearing immediately picked up bits of their conversation.

* * *

"Will you fight for Prontera, Sir Agranias?" Silmeia's voice was tinged with hope when she asked the question. She wanted the knight to say yes. Someone so strong could do so much for Prontera. Agranias, didn't look like he noticed the apprehension in her tone.

"I will fight by your side, priestess, to protect you of course." He answered.

Silmeia's eyes widened. "Protect…me?"

Agranias lowered his gaze. From behind them, Makaelthos realized that the dark-armored knight was oblivious to how his simple statement affected the priestess. Silmeia hated the idea of allowing someone to get hurt for her. Each time a soldier under the support of the Second Priest Division fell, she took it as her own fault. He stopped at a distance from them. 'Now won't be a good time to interrupt.'

Silmeia spoke once again. Makaelthos could sense the determination beneath her words. "Sir Agranias, I don't want you to-"

The dark-armored knight's fists clenched. "Please, priestess. I've already allowed-"

Agranias stopped. Whatever he was about to say, he decided against it. Silmeia guessed it though, her own hands clenched as she realized it. "You were there when Lystra was killed weren't you?" She asked the question but she already knew the answer.

Agranias turned away. "She died in front of me… I could never forget that expression on her face as she-" Agranias fell silent for a while before continuing. "It must be fate when I met you so near her grave…I can't allow the same fate to befall you!"

Silmeia's expression softened. She had been too forceful perhaps. She hadn't considered that Lystra's loss would mean much to Agranias as well. She tried to apologize. She knew what it was like to be always reminded of the loss. "Agranias, I-"

The knight's face grew determined. There was something in his black irises that hinted terrible regret. The feeling was so familiar that Silmeia had to look away. Every time she looked at those regretful, black irises, she was reminded of her own pain. It was often accompanied by the strange feeling that made her heart race.

"Let me guard you with my life, priestess." Agranias insisted. "It will not atone for past mistakes but I can't bear the thought of failing you both!"

Silmeia was taken aback. What did happen between Agranias and Lystra? What did her sister do to inspire such concern? Now was not the time to ponder on such matters, though. She noticed Makaelthos waiting behind Agranias. "I am grateful for your protection then, Sir Agranias." She replied. "But, please…take care of yourself."

The dark-armored knight smiled slightly before walking away to take care of his pecopeco. Makaelthos finally approached the priestess. "Everything alright, Second Head Priestess Cafilence?" He asked.

The radiant mustered a smile and a nod. "My division is ready, Lightbearer Solcry." She answered.

Makaelthos nodded as well turned to stare at Agranias. "You have a strange guardian. I heard that he defeated Gardzen in the arena without so much as taking a scratch."

Silmeia watched the black-armored knight with undisguised concern. "I saw him fight. Gardzen mentioned something to him before he struck back. I think it was something about me."

The crusader shifted his attention to the priestess. "I also heard that Gardzen challenged him to a duel because he was spreading rumors about you." He mentioned.

Silmeia's expression turned serious. "He was lying. Sir Agranias would never-"

Makaelthos looked at the priestess with concern. Silmeia believed in people much more than he did but it didn't seem her to make such an assumption about a man she had only known for a few days at most. "You sound so sure of a man who keeps so many secrets from you."

Silmeia lowered her gaze. As usual, Makaelthos was right; how could she be so sure? "A feeling I guess." She answered knowing that it wasn't the sort of answer to satisfy the light bearer. "Feelings" just didn't do it for Makaelthos.

Makaelthos watched as the Second Hunter Division arrived. This was Seihanine's division; Kreizen's as well as he accompanied them as their auxiliary blacksmith. Before going over to see how they were, he left Silmeia with some parting words. "Be careful, priestess. I may not be sure of his loyalty to Prontera but, somehow, I can be sure of his loyalty to you."

Khaesilya, trailing behind Makaelthos, watched as the priestess directed her division. 'Master Makaelthos?' The sohee's thoughts flowed towards Makaelthos.

'Yes, Khaesilya?' Makaelthos thought out his answer. He had gotten used to these mental conversations with the sohee. It was the perfect means to keep the discussion private and Khaesilya preferred over talking. She was never comfortable talking with other people or even just letting them overhear what she had to say.

'I sense a strange darkness in that knight. He hides more than just his past in those dark eyes of his.'

Makaelthos's eyes narrowed in thought. 'As much as I worry for Silmeia, we don't really have much of a say in these matters. She'll have to deal with him as she's the only one he seems to really respond to. If he means her harm, I will protect my friend, if he is a danger to this city then we will do as soldiers of Prontera do.'

The sohee agreed telepathically and spoke no more about the subject. The dark-armored knight worried her nonetheless. While her master cautioned her about probing into the surface thoughts of strangers for no apparent reason, she did peer into Agranias's mind. The resulting images and words rose in conflict with each other until they turned into a garbled mass of confusion. Images of killing and trampling helpless foes abounded in Agranias's mind but a new stream of thought, strong and unwavering was trying to cut through them. Khaesilya withdrew before she could see more. 'Evil by nature but not by choice, such a dangerous dichotomy you have, Sir Agranias.' She thought to herself.

* * *

Seihanine Xalascent tested her gakkung's string while her division manned the walls of the main south gate along with the First Hunter Division. Prontera's outer walls rose well over a hundred feet in height with ramparts able to accommodate several divisions of hunters like her. It would be her job to rain arrows on the invading orcs, focusing on their rear lines where the enemy archers would be. The wizards of Trenzein's division and the other wizard divisions had similar jobs but they were more suited on the ground and closer to the front lines. Since they were able to create powerful magical effects that affected large areas, they aimed their spells against massed front line troops of the enemy to create holes that the skirmishers could use. At the sight of the orcish invaders and their allies, her eyes narrowed as she remembered how the orcs burned the colony down. Orcville was hardly a colony. It was just some place her brother had been temporarily exiled to along with other trouble-makers. But seeing it burn wasn't something she was going to let pass. The place had been assigned her protection and the attack could have claimed her brother's life.

Kreizen Xalascent watched the preparations beside his younger sister. He was eager for battle; his two-handed axe was newly sharpened and tempered. He had several bags of gold zenny coins to use as boosts for his attacks. Once the attack began though, he would be far from her and close to the frontlines near the First Knight Division. While he was the Second Hunter Division's auxiliary blacksmith, he had no place along the walls. "Orc hero, it'll be payback time today for what you did to the colony!" He growled under his breath. He grinned as he saw Makaelthos walking towards them.

"I see you two are ready." Makaelthos started. By rights, he should be speaking with the Second Hunter Commander but he knew he could get a better assessment from Seihanine. "How about your division?"

Seihanine began inspecting her arrows, making sure that none of them were cracked or blunt. She had become used to Makaelthos's habit of inspecting every division that he was working with. He had an analytical mind, always considering options whenever they arrived. That was where she differed with him. Her thoughts on tactics extended only to the right sort of arrows to use against what foe and making sure she was in the right place to shoot without being closed in on. Coordinating with others didn't extend beyond shooting their enemies down. Makaelthos saw otherwise so she relied on his calls for such occasions when her tactics weren't enough. "Everyone's in position, Lightbearer Solcry. How long do you think before the orcs attack?"

Makaelthos thought for a while before answering. "If the orc leaders had their way, the attack would have started already. But force marching your troops causes fatigue. I think we have an hour or so."

Both Xalascents tensed. One more hour until their payback.

* * *

While the Prontera army readied itself, a bandaged figure stared at the orc tribes. From an unmanned portion of the southern walls. "That foolish orc hero…did he actually think that the Lord of Death would just hand him Prontera so easily?" Osiris spoke as he shook his head, already partly disgusted at the unnecessary slaughter that was soon to happen.

The doppelganger stared questioningly at Osiris. "Why did the Lord of Death allow the orc tribes to surround the city?" He asked.

Osiris' eyes gleamed from his hood. "There can only be two reasons, doppelganger." He answered. "The Lord of Death surrounds Prontera to keep his army ready to invade as well as to keep a look out on us immortals inside. With the orc tribes doing that for him, he can concentrate on slaying other immortals."

The doppelganger nodded in agreement. "What's the other reason?" He asked.

Osiris' fists shook. "The other reason will be our reason to be the ones to slay the orc leaders! Ready yourself, doppelganger! As soon as the tribes falter, we will take the orc hero's head!"

The doppelganger grinned and rubbed his hands together. "You got it, Osiris! Or should I say, Seiros?"

Osiris ignored the last comment and turned to face the city.

'What about you, Moonlight? How will you take to this situation?' He wondered.

* * *

The orc hero snarled as he watched the walls of Prontera slowly bristle with hunters. He had hoped that his tribes could break down the gates without going through a hail of arrows.

"Relax, hero. Our warriors can overwhelm whatever defense Prontera can offer!" The short but brawny figure of the Orc Lord stood behind the Orc Hero. With him were the ferocious looking Werewolf and the strange looking Panzer goblin.

"Do not underestimate the humans, Lord. I have seen how the best of them can fight." The Orc Hero answered.

The Orc Lord snorted. "Not all humans are like that blacksmith you fought in the colony, Hero."

The Orc Hero watched as his warriors regained their strength. "We shall see. Our warriors are ready! Sound the horns, we march for Prontera!" He roared.

* * *

Within the city, Eliarainne Sialsanderin tightened her grip on her lance.

"It's already begun! Move out, we'll engage them outside the gates!"

The horns of war sounded inside the city. Immediately, the civilians locked themselves inside their homes. A grim determination spread among the knights as they marched outside the city. The orc tribes began to mass at several hundred feet from the city.

'Several hundred…a mounted knight can cross that in a few seconds. An arrow could do it even faster.' Eliarainne took a good look at her enemies. A vicious look was on the face of every high orc that stood up from. Her gaze fell upon the daunting figures of the enemy leaders.

Makaelthos stood beside his partner. "The immortals are ones holding their armies together. Nonetheless, focus on beating back their troops first, knight commander. Force them to regroup so we can buy more time."

Eliarainne nodded absently. Her attention was focused on the orc hero as the immortal raised a hand.

'Here it comes.'

The hand came down. In that instant, a roar issued from the throat of every orc warrior. The orcs charged; their axes glinting in the noon sun. Eliarainne yelled back and raised her lance. In response, the knights lowered their weapons. Lances ready to kill upon impact, the First Knight Division stood ready to receive the enemy.

"Arrows, ready!"

Seihanine raised her gakkung and fired. The lone arrow was immediately joined by hundreds of others. Simultaneously, a flock of falcons descended upon the battlefield like a cloud of claws and feathers.

Silmeia directed her division's supportive spells. Further behind her, Trenzein's unit unleashed their first barrage of icy death. The priestess whispered a swift prayer as the orcs collided with Eliarainne's unit.

"God help us…it's begun."

* * *

**World notes**

**Auxiliary Blacksmiths – **Every division has at least one blacksmith among them called an auxiliary blacksmith. An auxiliary blacksmith is responsible for the crafting and maintenance of his/her division's arms, armor and ammunition. Besides being auxiliaries, small groups of blacksmiths form for the creation of siege engines and structures.


	24. Duels

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 22: Duels**

The first high orc hit Eliarainne's lance so hard that the oridecon point burst from between its shoulder blades; spraying blood all over the orcs behind it. She urged Bristle forward; kicking the body from her lance at the same time. More high orcs lunged at her; their sharpened axes swung menacingly from different sides. She swung her lance in a wide arc; catching one high orc in the eye. The lance's point also grazed the face of another blue-skinned monster.

"Death to all humans!" one high orc roared. He jumped at Eliarainne; slashing at her with a large two-handed axe. She raised her shield to absorb the attack and smashed it against the high orc's face. The blue-skinned orc crashed to the ground. She sank her lance deep into his chest before causing Bristle to trample him with razor-sharp, oridecon-tipped claws.

Another high orc managed to grab at her shield arm and struggled to drag her from her mount. The high orc failed, though. His right arm was suddenly sliced off from behind by a saber. There was no blood though; the saber glowed white with holy energy and the wound was seared shut. The high orc howled in pain and staggered off.

"Don't let these monsters drag you own, Eliarainne!" Makaelthos shouted. "They'll grab Bristle and stuff him down their cook pots!" He expertly deflected the clumsy swing of one high orc with his shield and pushed the blue-skinned warrior towards a group of them; causing all of them to crash in a tangle of brawny arms and legs. Behind him, Khaesilya dragged her stiletto from the eye of one orc warrior and whipped it about; slicing open the stomach of an over-eager female orc.

Eliarainne grinned fiercely as she plunged her lance into the neck of a high orc that was about to attack from Makaelthos's right. The rest of the First Knight Division fought hard as the second wave of orcs crashed against them.

From the corner of his eye, Makaelthos spotted a squad of orc archers pointing their gakkungs towards Eliarainne's direction. "Get back, Eliarainne!" he warned his partner. He stepped forward and raised his shield. Several arrows bounced uselessly against it while others fell short. Before the archers could take a second shot, a blast of icy winds suddenly descended on the squad. The blast quickly erupted into a full-blown storm of whirling ice and snow; freezing many of the orc archers in place.

Immediately, Eliarainne waded among the frozen orcs; thrusting her lance into their frozen forms to finish them. Some of them were so firmly encased in ice that, when she shattered the blocks with the butt of her lance, the bodies also broke to pieces. She caught a glimpse of the caster as she knocked down another high orc. "That was superb timing as usual, Zein!" she called out before she continued wading among her enemies. Makaelthos, Khaesilya and the rest of her division were right behind her.

* * *

Trenzein Zaisen bowed like a performer receiving his applause as soon as he heard Eliarainne's compliment. When one high orc took advantage of his distraction by charging at him, he sidestepped the wide swing of the axe and gestured; causing a blast of ice to encase his attacker. He smiled as a sphere of lightning flew from the wizards behind him; flinging the frozen orc back for several feet. The ice shattered and the blue-skinned corpse convulsed and smoked as it fell to the ground. 'A frontal assault on Prontera?' he thought. 'The orcs might as well have asked us to slaughter them. There's no way they can break down the gates at this rate!' Trenzein suddenly noticed a jet of ice streaking towards him. On impulse, he waved an arm; chanting a string of incantations in the space of a few seconds. In front of him, an enormous wall of roaring flames burst from the ground. The ice struck the wall and exploded with the loud hissing sound of escaping steam. He looked about to see who had cast a spell. 'A spellcasting orc? That's new.' Trenzein found himself facing wizened old orc.

The orc's green skin was wrinkled, especially along his face. Stringy white hair covered his balding head in tufts. Magical energies crackled on the orc's hands and the arcane symbols on its robes marked him as a spell caster.

To confirm Trenzein's suspicions, the orc raised a hand. Immediately, several shards of light flew from him and straight towards Trenzein. Still smiling confidently, Trenzein countered with the same spell; the shards of light struck each other and disappeared harmlessly.

Trenzein stuffed one hand into his robe's pockets and faced the orc sideways. He then raised his other hand in a "come ahead" gesture. Snarling oaths in its native tongue, the orc prepared to cast another spell.

* * *

Kreizen swung his two-handed axe in a wide arc; severing the head of one high orc. Behind him was a trail of dismembered orcs; most of them headless. He slowly made his way towards his target, the powerful figure of the Orc Hero. The immortal stood at least two feet taller than largest of the high orcs although the aura of power and authority he possessed made him seem twice that. Even his square jaw, sloping forehead and his small eyes seemed to reflect that authority. Like most orcs, his eyes were red; Kreizen knew that orcish eyes glowed in the dark as they possessed a limited ability to see at such times. On his head was helm covered with golden feathers that made him stand out even further. He carried an enormous square shield that was marked with a snarling face of a beast; the symbol of the orc tribes. In his other hand was a curved sword that was the size of a two-handed weapon. Orcish writing was engraved on its blade and its pommel was decorated with precious stones. "We're not finished since the last time, Orc Hero!" he shouted after the immortal.

The Orc Hero decapitated a knight with his huge, curved sword as he waded among them; spraying blood all over his shield. Another swing broke past another knight's defense and cut deeply into his chest. Grinning fiercely, he backhanded the knight with his sword arm, sending the man sprawling to the ground.

"Orc Hero!" One of the humans called out.

The Orc Hero turned to the one who shouted his title. The voice was human alright and strangely familiar. His gaze fell on a dark-haired blacksmith with bright blue eyes and powerfully muscled arms. At once he shouted a challenge and closed in on the blacksmith. In less than a second, the two of them were locked in furious combat. His sword clashed against the blacksmith's axe. "I know you." he told the man in Pronteran. His command of the language was crude and simplistic but his merely using it should make his foe feel honored. "You're that blacksmith from the colony." The blacksmith responded by taking a swing towards his neck. The Orc Hero blocked the attack with his shield and thrust at him with his sword. "Tell me your name, blacksmith. I will speak of it proudly when I tell my tribesmen of how I slew you."

The blacksmith's eyes narrowed as he pulled out a bag of zenny. "My name is Kreizen Xalascent, Orc Hero." he answered. "Don't be mistaken; I'm telling you this so that you may speak of the one who slew you in the afterlife!"

The Orc Hero grinned and lunged at Kreizen. At the same time, the bag the blacksmith was holding transformed into a golden light that bathed his weapon with a powerful glow. "Give me your strongest blow then, Kreizen Xalascent!" the Orc Hero challenged. "I will give you mine in return and we will see who is left standing after that!"

The two-handed axe broke past the Orc Hero's guardl biting into his right side with such force that it knocked him back. At the same time, his sword tore through Kreizen's chain armor; gashing him horizontally on the chest. In less than a heartbeat, the two combatants recovered from each other's attacks and clashed.

* * *

Seihanine Xalascent ducked as another arrow whizzed past her. She had seen her brother clash with the Orc Hero and at the same time she also knew of Trenzein's wizardly duel against the orcish spell caster. She shot an arrow towards one high orc that was about to blindside her brother then nodded in satisfaction as her arrow buried itself into the blue-skinned monster's neck. Another arrow struck the rampart that served as her cover. The orc archer who fired it did not get a second shot. Kalyx flew past it; his steel-tipped claws tearing a vicious gash on the archer's face. The orc screamed and pitched forward. Its eyes had been torn from their sockets by the falcon. Kalyx swooped past the battlefield and landed on his mistress's shoulder. "Keep watch over Zein, Kalyx." she instructed the bird and then pointed at Trenzein's figure. The falcon screeched once and dove towards Trenzein. Seihanine shot down a pair of orc archers that were about to snipe her brother. That was when she noticed a cloaked figure making its way towards the Orc Hero. She guessed who it was. 'Osiris!' The name resounded in her mind.

* * *

Silmeia Cafilence concentrated on healing the knights who stumbled back to her unit. Sir Agranias kept ahead of her; striking down any orc that got too close.

One high orc managed to get past Agranias and charged directly at her. Immediately, she whispered a swift prayer and pointed at him. A soft, white light surrounded high orc until she invoked another prayer. A burst of white light struck the high orc on the chest; coalescing with the light that bathed him until it burst in a brilliant flash. The high orc fell to his knees; his chest smoking from an enormous burn,until Agranias rode up and thrust a two-handed sword into his back.

Agranias quickly rode towards the Silmeia. "Are you hurt, priestess?" he asked.

Silmeia stared at the knight. Agranias had slain at least a dozen high orcs as far as she could tell. After all that, he was barely even sweating with exhaustion. His armor wasn't even dented after deflecting so many attacks. "I'm fine, Sir Agranias." she answered. "Please protect the other priests as well."

Agranias nodded his consent and rode ahead. Silmeia focused on him and whispered several prayers of blessing. He suddenly rode faster; clashing against a group of high orcs with such force that several of the blue-skinned monsters were bowled over. He waved his two-handed sword about with one hand while he urged his mount to trample the prone high orcs. Despite the seeming lightness of its claws, the pecopeco crushed limbs with ease.

"Have at you, knight!" a guttural voice came from one side.

Agranias whirled to the sound of the voice. A huge fist was about to smash into his face if he hadn't caught it with his palm. His arm shook with the effort to keep it back, though. The fist was incredibly strong. "Orc Lord!" he grunted. Agranias pushed the fist away and hacked at the Orc Lord with his weapon. The burly orc jumped back, raised his fists in a martial stance and then glanced at Silmeia.

"That's their lead priestess right?" he growled. "Slaying her will plunge your healers into chaos!"

Agranias pointed his sword at his opponent. The Orc Lord did not present the same daunting sight as the Orc Hero but he was still formidable in his own way. He was short but incredibly well-built; with powerful muscles that rippled over his barrel chest. His arms were large and covered with bulging muscles that were nearly the size of marine spheres. His dark green skin was covered with scars and lurid orcish tattoos. "I won't let you harm her in any way." he answered.

The Orc Lord cracked his knuckles in anticipation. A toothy grin spread on his face. "Really?" he said. "Then I shall kill you first!"

The Orc Lord dashed forward and leaped at Agranias. He evaded the flying kick and thrust his sword at the orc, who twisted in midair to avoid the attack. Upon landing, the Orc Lord suddenly pointed an open palm towards Agranias. A sphere of flames burst from his palm and straight towards Agranias; who raised his arm to protect himself from the blast. The ball exploded on impact, engulfing Agranias in searing fire. He winced in pain and was about to charge again when he felt a familiar hand touch his arm. 'This is-' he thought.

Agranias felt healing energy flow into his body. The feeling was somewhat painful at first; like looking at the noon sky after spending a lot of time in darkness. Gradually, he felt the pain of his burns recede. "Thank you, priestess." he said softly.

Silmeia allowed herself a brief smile. "Take care of yourself, Sir Agranias." she answered.

Agranias smiled in return and was about to rejoin the fray when a swordsman suddenly dashed ahead of him.

"For the glory of Prontera!" the doppelganger shouted enthusiastically. Nearby knights actually echoed his cry with their own.

Silmeia stared incredulously at the swordsman before realizing the truth. 'The doppelganger!'

The Orc Lord snarled a curse as the doppelganger slashed at him with his broadsword. "Doppelganger!" he snarled. "You side with mere humans?"

The blond swordsman grinned and ignored the Orc Lord's words. "I, Joe Buck, will earn my knighthood by slaying you, Orc Lord!" he said the words so grandiosely that Silmeia felt a little embarrassed.

Cursing, the Orc Lord stepped back. "You have the advantage now, "Joe Buck"." his voice dripped sarcasm as he spoke. "There will be other opportunities!" With that he suddenly made a powerful jump back and retreated.

Sighing, Joe Buck patted Agranias and walked towards the city. "You take care of your priestess now, knight." he said loudly. Then he leaned forward and whispered. "Osiris and I will find it interesting to work with you, Ex-Abysmal Knight Captain Agranias, maybe you can help us against the Lord of Death."

Agranias's eyes hardened. To reveal his dread secret now would cause his attempts at change to collapse. The doppelganger grinned once again and walked away.

"Are you alright?" a soft, comforting voice cut through his reverie.

Agranias turned and found himself staring at Silmeia's concerned face. He swallowed hard and forced his voice to remain level. "I will be fine, priestess." he answered.

Silmeia let out a sigh of relief. Suddenly, an explosion rocked the battlefield before the two.

* * *

"Interesting…you are familiar with plenty of spells, orc." Trenzein commented. His hands crackled with intense magical energy. He had unleashed several powerful spells and countered the attacks his opponent made. The old orc was panting but his hands still pulsed with energy. "Let's put an end to this, shall we?" he taunted.

The orc hurled a ball of fire towards Trenzein. He countered by causing a jet of ice to collide with the sphere. The orc squinted as the resulting steam dissipated; the next spell was bound to come soon. Sure enough, the orc heard the wizard begin to chant.

A rock suddenly flew from the cloud of steam. Surprised by the simplicity of the spell, the orc failed to evade it. The rock struck the orc on the arm without causing injury. Immediately, he realized that the green-haired wizard had finally tired out. Grinning, the orc prepared to cast a spell as the steam vanished.

The human wizard had disappeared.

The orc immediately turned around in a panic. The wizard could have teleported behind him but-

A falcon suddenly flew past the orc, raking at him with steel-tipped claws. Surprised, the orc raised an arm to protect his face. A sudden tap on its shoulder brought another reality on the spell caster.

"You're forgetting me, orc." A blast of ice erupted from Trenzein's hands, encasing the orc. The wizard grinned as the falcon flew overhead.

"I guess I owe your mistress one, Kalyx!" he called out to the bird. "Don't tell her though, okay?" Trenzein shifted his attention back to the spell caster. "As for you, it's strange how a simple teleportation spell can panic someone so much." Lightning coursed through the his arm as it formed a sphere of crackling electricity in his hand.

* * *

Kreizen Xalascent panted as he circled the Orc Hero. He suffered a gash on the chest as well as a cut on his right shoulder and leg.

The Orc Hero was wounded on one side as well as on the leg. "You fight well, Kreizen Xalascent." he spoke. "But it is clear that I will win this battle." He wasn't taunting the man. It was a clean fight. Something he didn't expect from the dirty humans. It would be a shame to end the life of this one but this was war and there were much more lives to take.

Another voice suddenly spoke behind the Orc Hero. "You've already lost when you massed your armies in front of Prontera, Orc Hero!"

A bandaged fist smashed into the Orc Hero's face. The crushing impact knocked sent him staggering back. After taking a moment to recover, the Orc Hero shook his head and faced his attacker. "Osiris!" he growled.

The mummy's eyes glowed from his hood. "Turn back, Orc Hero. You can gain no more in this battle." he answered.

The Orc Hero looked around him. Sure enough, the knights were beating the orcs back. Cursing in orcish; he ordered a withdrawal and fell back.

Kreizen turned to face Osiris. "Thanks." he said. "Why did you ask him to retreat if you wanted him dead?"

Osiris started to walk away. "The Orc Hero is the primary force that binds the tribes together." he answered. "If he died too soon, the tribes will scatter. It is better to slay Werewolf, the Panzer Goblin and the Orc Lord first."

* * *

Eliarainne whirled her lance about even as the orcs withdrew. With the attack defeated, she let out a powerful battle shout to celebrate. The First Knight Division answered by raising their weapons and roaring their own.

Makaelthos stepped over the ring of dead orcs around Eliarainne and gripped her by the forearm. "Don't pursue them." he spoke calmly. "Get the knights and prepare for the next attack."

Eliarainne nodded in agreement. The battle had gone well enough. Makaelthos looked worried though. "What's wrong?" she asked. "We won the day didn't we?"

Makaelthos stared at their retreating foes. "The kobolds and goblins didn't join the fight." he answered. "The tribes are planning something."

The sun began to set as the knights rode back to the city. Despite their success though, all of them knew it was far from over.

* * *

**World notes**

**Orcish spellcasting **– with the orc lands directly southwest of Geffen territory, the occasional spell book finds its way into orcish hands. This combined with the orc's small tradition for spellcasting can produce orcs of mage or even wizard skill orcs.


	25. Companions

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 23: Companions**

Night slowly descended on Prontera as its defenders made their way back to their quarters. The initial orc invasion had been repulsed, much to the relief of the citizenry. The people in the streets hailed the knights as their unwavering, invincible saviors. The knights knew better. Among the piled up bodies of the orc invaders also lay the bodies of their comrades who perished. Such things were relegated to the back of Eliarainne's mind when she made her way towards Baelthran's. She knew that the reports will be pouring in tomorrow; tonight will be the only opportunity for her to relax.

"Good evening, Eliarainne! Did you have a rough battle?"

Baelthran's greeting never lost its warmth whether Eliarainne walked through the free-swinging double doors with a broad grin or a dark scowl. It was just another one of those things about his otherwise plain tavern that Eliarainne liked. She nodded absently before taking her usual seat. She was the only customer right now but she knew that there would be others. "Rough battle?" she responded. "Hardly. The orcs weren't even interested in sending out their entire forces! What's on the menu for today, Baelthran?"

The barkeep wiped his hands with a rag. "I've roasted that bigfoot your division brought from Alberta." he answered. "It's quite a treat now if I must say so." Though Eliarainne Sialsanderin often threatened to tear the tavern apart during her more awful moods, she made up for it by providing him with free meats. Not only was the First Knight Commander an excellent soldier, she was also surprisingly knowledgeable about meat. Baelthran chalked that up to her liking it so much that she would not touch a dish made only of vegetables. After their mission in Alberta, Eliarainne had apparently taken one intact bigfoot corpse aside and had taken some slices of its meat with the precision to make any butcher proud. Baelthran was delighted to find those slices carefully preserved and sent to his tavern.

Eliarainne nodded with satisfaction. She knew what magic Baelthran could work with inch-thick slabs of meat. "I'll have that then." she answered. "Along with a glass of Pronteran Silver Eagle."

Baelthran raised an eyebrow. Pronteran Silver Eagle was a mild alcoholic drink derived from the capital's groves of apples. It was nowhere near the strength of Eliarainne's usual drinks. "No Payon Spirits tonight?" he asked.

Eliarainne waved a hand as she shook her head. "I can't afford to get that drunk tonight." she answered. "Too much work in the morning. Besides-" She suddenly remembered a certain crusader taking her armor off for her. "-it puts me in…uncomfortable situations."

Baelthran watched as a slight hint of red stained Eliarainne's cheeks. He grinned slyly and nudged her arm with an elbow. "You have Makaelthos to take care of that, right?" he said. "You're probably the luckiest knight around to be partnered with a guy like him. He's got a lot of acolyte admirers hanging around here lately!"

Eliarainne frowned at Baelthran's hinting and fought to prevent more color from rising to her cheeks. "Don't be a busybody, Baelthran!" she snapped. Lowering her voice; she continued. "It's embarrassing to depend on Makaelthos like that. Although, the acolyte admirers are new. How did you know about that?"

Baelthran laughed briefly as he served Eliarainne's meal. A large serving of bigfoot steak was placed beside a good portion of rice and potatoes and covered with his special gravy. Eliarainne was quick to dig in; stabbing her fork straight into the meat. The juices ran out and spilled onto the rice and potatoes. "You haven't noticed them?" he asked in surprise. "They're here almost every night. They're mostly acolytes from Silmeia's division. Pretty girls too. Can't blame them though, Makaelthos is their proverbial knight or should I say crusader in shining armor."

Eliarainne took a sip from her drink. Pronteran Silver Eagle did not possess the kick of Payon Spirits but she'll wake up in the morning without feeling like a tree had fallen on her. She remembered a conversation with Silmeia a few years back. Back when she was still a swordswoman.

"_He's smart, reliable, quiet but articulate and boyishly handsome. You're saying he's a bastard now, Rainne, but I doubt even you will be surprised he starts attracting admirers without seemingly trying."_

"_You're singing a lot of his praises, Sil, don't tell me you like him that much."_

"_I thought I was only singing counterpoint to you, Rainne. As for liking him, well...why not? I can like smart, reliable, quiet but articulate and boyishly handsome men."_

"_Sil!"_

Eliarainne remembered her friend laughing softly at her after that. To Baelthran, she only said "I have to agree with you." The tavern's doors swung open; causing Eliarainne to look up. "Good evening, Makaelthos." she greeted him.

Makaelthos nodded to acknowledge the greeting before settling down beside his partner. "Good evening to you too, Eliarainne." he replied. "Baelthran, I'll have what's on the dinner menu today as well as a glass of Morroc wine."

The barkeep was quick to fill out the order before turning to talk with Makaelthos. "So how come you're second to Eliarainne this time?" he asked. "You're usually the first to arrive here."

Makaelthos looked past the tavern's stained glass windows. Even from where he was, he could still see the occasional knight being carried on a stretcher for healing. "I had to help Silmeia with the injured." he answered. When he looked away from the window, he noticed Eliarainne's drink and smiled. "Glad to see you're not taking Payon Spirits this time." he told her.

Eliarainne smiled in return and looked at Makaelthos's drink. "And I see you're drinking your usual." she replied.

Makaelthos took a sip from his glass. Morroc wine was sweet; derived from grape vines that grew near the large oasis that was adjacent to the pyramids. It was quite strong but he knew how to moderate his drinking. "It's my favorite." he answered. "It reminds me of home."

Eliarainne paused for a while; unsure of how she should react. Morroc was Makaelthos's birthplace. Except for the unusually bright green eyes, his features were all Morrocan. She often wondered how a breeding place for thieves and murderers could produce a crusader like him. What confused her was how he reacted to the subject. Most of the time, he avoided discussing his home city or his past life as if he were trying to disassociate himself from both. Yet, he has never allowed anyone to make a disparaging remark on either. "Makaelthos." she started.

Makaelthos raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Eliarainne?" he asked.

Eliarainne watched Makaelthos's reactions carefully. The last thing she wanted was to upset him. Unlike her, he didn't show a lot of signs that he was getting upset. A lot of people often tried to test the limits of his patience; especially those who wanted to prove that he was just a thug from a city that produced thieves. Most of them would choke in frustration and still not find that limit. A very few were unfortunate enough to find it and they did more than regret that they ever did. "You never told me why you became a crusader." she told him.

Makaelthos watched as three young acolytes entered the tavern. He recognized the three from Silmeia's division. They bowed respectfully to him before settling down on one of the tables. Baelthran gave him a conspirator's nudge before going over to take their orders. "I've already told you it was inspired by someone, right?" he answered.

Eliarainne settled down to her meal. The slices had been seared to perfection and seasoned with Payonese herbs. She wasn't going to let it get cold. A few mouthfuls later, spoke again. "That's too vague. Inspired by whom?" she asked. Makaelthos was silent for a while. For a brief moment, she thought that she had offended the him. A halting apology was at the tip of her tongue before he spoke again.

"You already know that I was once a part of NightKnife, right?" Makaelthos answered.

Eliarainne nodded. It was also apparent to her that NightKnife still wanted to be a part of him. She remembered the sinister and possessive gleam in Trynis's eyes when the guild mistress stared at him. There was something about the way Trynis stared at Makaelthos that spoke of unresolved matters and a stubborn refusal to let go.

Makaelthos took another sip of his wine. In truth, he never liked discussing what had happened to him in the past nor did he like prodding others for their history. Everyone has had rough times before; events and actions best forgotten or simply set aside. He was no exception to that and part of him just wanted to stay quiet until Eliarainne got the hint and gave up. But Eliarainne had been his partner for five years now. For all that time, this was the first time she asked him such a question. She had confided much to him about her personal life already. Out of fairness alone he should say something and it wasn't just fairness that moved him to speak. He trusted Eliarainne to guard his back in battle. It was time she learned about a different aspect of his life.

"I was one of NightKnife's founders ten years ago." he started. "I was a swordsman back then and I fought alongside Trynis. Together we made NightKnife into a powerful guild that supplanted the former thieves' guild in Morroc. In a few years we were controlling Morroc and Trynis had plans to extend our territory."

Makaelthos swirled the wine in his glass as he stared at it. In some ways, he had been happy back then; working with Trynis to bring the downfall of some enemy, keeping one step ahead of the law, exposing spies and conspiracies against NightKnife and its guild mistress. It had been exhilarating during the daytime and the nights…he shook his head. It was over. Everything that involved him with Trynis and the guild was over.

"So what happened that changed all that?" Eliarainne asked.

The question brought Makaelthos back to the present. It also reminded him that his days as a NightKnife master were in the past. "Trynis and I started disagreeing on guild policies." he continued. "She wanted to expand to activities I wanted no part of; blackmailing, slave-trading…things I did not want to be associated with. I wanted the guild to maintain its repertoire of robbery only. I was somewhat naïve back then; thinking I could provide NightKnife with a sense of honor. Trynis made it clear that she didn't care for such things. Furious, I shouted my resignation at her and left. I found out later that she wanted me back but it was too late. I had decided to become a crusader by then."

Eliarainne made no pretense at eating as she listened closely. It was rare that her partner was so voluble about himself. During the five years they worked together, she could only gain a few tantalizing tidbits of his past. She didn't like asking about it as he would end up in a dark mood every time his past was mentioned and she would feel guilty for making him feel that way. Besides, he was trustworthy and reliable; it didn't matter if she didn't know what kind of life he used to have. She could trust him with her life in a battle and, for a knight; it was all that really mattered.

Makaelthos watched his partner in amusement before continuing. It was easy to see how interested Eliarainne was in his story. Having served Prontera with her for five years had acquainted him with her personality. Eliarainne seldom recognized the need for subtlety and that made her a bit too direct sometimes. It wasn't that he minded that though. In truth, after several years of facades, hidden daggers and veiled threats in NightKnife, he appreciated his partner's directness. "When I left NightKnife, my first goal was to create a guild that followed my way of thinking." he continued. "At least, that was my goal until I met this swordswoman."

Eliarainne watched as Makaelthos smiled to himself. 'So it was a swordswoman that brought him about. She must have been special to inspire him.' she thought.

Makaelthos laughed inwardly as he remembered the first time he met that person. The irony of it all never failed to amuse him. "I was there when NightKnife members had ambushed a caravan from Prontera" he went on. "I figured that the goods must be important for it to be so heavily guarded. Most of the guards were dead by the time I got there. The battle had dwindled to a swordswoman, an acolyte and three NightKnife thieves. The swordswoman held the thieves at bay even though she was heavily outnumbered and her acolyte friend was quickly tiring."

Makaelthos paused for a while. He stared at his drink intently as if he was trying to put a finger on what had happened to him back then. "That foolish swordswoman was outnumbered and outflanked." he said. "The best course of action would have been to retreat. No profit was worth one's life. Yet she stayed to fight. An unwise decision all in all yet-" He paused to think. After a moment of silence he spoke again. "-she reminded me of what it was like to invest myself into a cause I believed in. I realized that I didn't leave the guild because of just the change in policy but because I had lost faith in what it stood for. When I rushed in to help her, I had begun thinking of what I wanted to fight for. Who and what I am today says all about what I had come up with."

Eliarainne stared incredulously at Makaelthos as he finished his tale. There was something familiar about his story, something about rare spices and caravans. "Makaelthos, that swordswoman who-?"

Makaelthos turned to stare at his partner. "When I joined the Church to begin my crusader training, I learned from her acolyte friend that they were guarding a shipment of rare Morroc spices for a certain influential blacksmith." he answered.

Eliarainne felt herself redden. "The swordswoman was-!" The words choked in her throat like a prematurely swallowed sip of liquor.

Makaelthos smiled at her as he took another sip from his glass. "You, right?" he finished. ""And to think we'd be partnered as soon as I became a crusader and you reached your knighthood."

The tavern was silent for a while as Makaelthos went back to his meal. Eliarainne's hand trembled slightly as she took another spoonful of her meal. Baelthran watched the two in amusement while the acolytes stared at Eliarainne jealously. The awkward silence didn't last long however, the tavern doors swung open again and two more figures entered the bar.

"Ho, Baelthran! How's your business doing?" Kreizen called out.

Baelthran looked up and grinned to see two more familiar customers. "If it isn't Kreizen and Seihanine Xalascent!" he greeted them. "Come on in! What'll you have?"

Kreizen took his seat beside Makaelthos while his younger sister took her usual place beside Eliarainne. "I'll have what my friends are having for dinner, Baelthran, As well as a flagon of Payon Spirits!" he ordered.

Seihanine looked disapprovingly at her brother's loud behavior and ordered a smaller portion of the bigfoot steak they were all having. "I'll just have some water, Baelthran." she added.

The barkeep served their orders and smiled at Seihanine. "Trenzein's not with you today, Seihanine?" he asked.

Seihanine looked defensively at Baelthran in return. "Zein can go wherever he likes, Baelthran. I don't understand why you're always expecting him to be with me." she said.

The barkeep laughed. He had missed the two Xalascents ever since they were exiled to the Pronteran colony of Orcville deep in the orc lands. Even Seihanine's cold remarks were welcome. "No need to get upset, Seihanine. I was just joking!" he laughed.

Seihanine focused on her food. She never appreciated jokes, especially if they were about her and Trenzein. "Not funny, Baelthran." she muttered.

Baelthran watched the huntress good-naturedly for a while and turned to talk to her brother, Kreizen. "I see you're not holding back with the Payon spirits!" He commented.

Kreizen laughed and took a pull from his flagon. "Of course not!" he answered. "We've won a great battle today, Baelthran! I say we celebrate!"

The barkeep laughed heartily. "Well said! I have full confidence that the army will send those orcs back to their lands in no time!"

Kreizen raised his flagon to the notion and faced Eliarainne. "You can count on that, Baelthran!" he said. "So long as we've got the best Knight Commander Prontera's ever produced with us. Right, Rainne?"

Eliarainne grinned and clashed her glass against Kreizen's flagon. She was more than glad to change the subject. Her conversation with Makaelthos had her feeling uncomfortable for some reason. "That's absolutely right!" she agreed loudly.

The two began to share stories about their battles. Kreizen, in particular, proudly told of his duel against the Orc Hero, using a fork to illustrate his slashes and parries. Eliarainne laughed heartily and called the blacksmith the luckiest bastard on Rune-Midgard while Makaelthos and Seihanine conversed more quietly beside them.

"So how are you and Kreizen doing, Seihanine?" Makaelthos asked. "Have there been any problems from the blacksmith guild so far?"

Seihanine watched her brother's antics and sighed. "I heard that he got into another fight again." she replied. "The guild's furious. A lot of other blacksmiths want to run him out of business."

Makaelthos nodded in agreement. "I suppose he and Trenzein have the same habit of making a lot of enemies." he said.

Seihanine stared at her food in thoughtful silence and picked at the steak. Makaelthos watched her closely. Seihanine had always kept by her brother's side; traveling with him as he traveled through Rune-Midgard's cities, supporting him with his trade and siding with him in his frequent quarrels with the Pronteran Blacksmith Guild Branch. He knew that she was starting to feel the effects of mounting strain. She was worrying too much for her brother, whose optimistic attitude and tendency to attack any problem head on led him to take a lot of risks. Trenzein was, in his own way, adding to her worry by constantly arguing with the Geffen Wizard Academy. He knew that she was also deeply concerned with the often-overconfident wizard.

"I hear you and Trenzein encountered several hired killers in the streets of Prontera. Any idea on who sent them?" Makaelthos asked.

Seihanine's eyes narrowed in recollection. "Zein mentioned that it was Koullufen Aethernas but we don't have any proof other than a dead wizard's words." she answered.

Makaelthos nodded. Koullufen Aethernas was high-ranking member of the Geffen Wizard Academy's Council. He could easily deny any accusation that linked him to the attempted murder. He took his mind off the subject though, now was not the time to discuss such unpleasant things. He watched as another familiar figure entered the tavern. Seihanine looked up as well.

"What's this? Enjoying yourselves without me?" Trenzein asked with mock indignation. He sat himself beside Seihanine, immediately he signaled for Baelthran. "Give me some of that bigfoot steak as well, Baelthran!" he ordered. "And add a glass of Geffen wine with that!" Baelthran nodded and fetched his order. Trenzein immediately turned to talk with Seihanine. Another triumphant grin was on his face. "Great fight today, right?" he asked.

Seihanine focused on her meal. She didn't even look at him when she answered. "You make it sound like a game, Zein." she said coldly. "You nearly got killed by that orc mage."

Trenzein snorted as he began to eat. "You mean that loutish old orc?" he asked. "Didn't you see how I dealt with him?"

Seihanine fixed a cold stare on Trenzein. "What I saw was Kalyx having to distract that orc so you can pull your 'teleport to the same location where I was before' trick." she told him dryly.

Trenzein frowned and let go of his spoon and fork. "I didn't ask for that bird of yours to butt his beak where it doesn't belong, Sei." he shot back.

Seihanine glared at the wizard. "And I suppose I should just watch you duel with every wizard you see, Zein, hoping that you don't make a mistake and stay alive?"

Trenzein looked away; his tone becoming hostile. "Maybe you should start practicing that." he shot back. "What's eating you today, Sei? You're grumpier than usual."

Seihanine let out a sigh. "I just wish you took this whole war more seriously, Zein." she said. "I've seen men die out of carelessness. That includes wizards!"

Trenzein's frown softened. "Alright, alright, I didn't mean to make it sound that I was taking the fight casually." he answered. "Besides I have no intention of throwing my life away like that."

Seihanine's glare disappeared. "You'd better not, Zein."

Makaelthos relaxed when the tension between the two faded. For a moment, he had expected a quarrel to emerge between them. Trenzein hated it when his abilities were put into question and Seihanine hated it when her companions behaved recklessly. His mood lightened as Silmeia finally entered the tavern. Baelthran was quick to greet her while the younger acolytes stood up, bowed respectfully and returned to watching him.

"Good evening, Silmeia! What took you so long?" Baelthran greeted her.

Silmeia smiled at the barkeep before taking her own seat. Everyone took note that she was extremely tired. Her shoulders were sagging and her hands trembled as they touched the table. "I had to handle the remaining wounded." she answered. "I'll just have some water with my meal, Baelthran."

Baelthran filled out the order and returned to his bar. He enjoyed watching the companions get together. As usual, a warm aura of friendship surrounded their group like firelight. Makaelthos began to converse with Silmeia regarding the Church's involvement in the upcoming war. Trenzein and Seihanine were talking about how to best dispatch your rampaging high orc. Eliarainne was asking Kreizen about the girl he had taken to nursing in his home. Kreizen grew concerned for a moment when he explained that she was still suffering from memory loss. She had, however, grown quite comfortable around him.

A nagging thought came to Baelthran as he watched. 'Where's Khaesilya?' he thought. He scanned his tavern for Makaelthos's shy sohee companion. Most of the time she remained standing beside the crusader; waiting for any command from him even though Makaelthos wasn't the type to order her about. He also failed to notice the presence of that strange, dark-armored knight called Agranias. He had watched his duel with Sir Gardzen and he had seen the knight walking with Silmeia on different occasions. The younger acolytes had begun referring to him as their Head Priestess's boyfriend. Baelthran did not know whether he should take them seriously or not. Makaelthos, on the other hand, was watching Silmeia in concern.

"You look tired." Makaelthos commented.

Silmeia nodded wearily. "There were a lot of wounded" she answered. "And I have a feeling there will be a lot more."

Makaelthos nodded in agreement. "Nonetheless, let the other priests pitch in and help." he said. "Don't force yourself to take care of everyone. By the way, where's Sir Agranias?"

Silmeia shrugged. "I asked him to join us here earlier. He said he had some things to attend to." she answered.

Makaelthos watched the tavern doors. Khaesilya told him something similar as well. She had excused herself; saying that there was someone important she had to talk to. He was curious of course. Khaesilya seldom went out to talk with others.

* * *

Agranias watched from the main square's fountain as the citizens of Prontera returned to their homes to sleep. The priestess had invited him to join her for a meal but he had refused. He could not imagine himself sharing a meal with her closest friends when he kept such secrets from her. What surprised him though was when a strange-looking woman approached him. "Good evening ma'am." He greeted tentatively. Perhaps it was just a passerby and he was just being paranoid. Agranias bowed slightly to acknowledge her presence before returning to his thoughts. Red eyes stared at him.

"You're an abysmal knight, aren't you?" the woman asked.

Agranias stared at the woman and realized why she knew her identity. "You're a sohee." he replied.

The sohee bowed. "My name is Khaesilya." she introduced herself. "Would you mind if I stayed and talked?"

Agranias watched the sohee curiously. He had seen her before. She was often with the crusader named Makaelthos. In fact, this was the first time he had seen her without the crusader.

"Alright." he answered.

* * *

**World Notes**

**Geffen Wine -** a light wine made from the grapes grown in Geffen's vineyards. Its low alcohol content often gets it derided as "Morrocan Grape Juice" by heavy drinkers.**  
**


	26. Human Inhumanity

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 24: Human Inhumanity**

'The night feels differently here in Prontera.' Agranias thought as he stared at the night sky above him. Despite the clamoring orcs outside its gates, Prontera still held a peaceful atmosphere at its center. There was a certain...resolve that the walls of Prontera showed; resolve and a desire to simply protect its way of life. Glastheim's structures were towering edifices full of their builders' pride and ambition. Constructed of dark gray stones; they reached for the sky like greedy fingers. Its very walls demanded that he expand their horizons by going forth and conquering others.

Prontera's structures were more rounded and compounded. Its walls quietly asked him to protect its place, his place, in the world. He shifted his focus to the sohee beside him. Khaesilya was watching him curiously. He wondered if it was out of suspicion but she did not have that suspicious look in her red eyes.

"Sir Agranias." Khaesilya spoke the name and kept from reading Agranias's surface thoughts. She had done so earlier and she did not like the images of death and darkness that occasionally crossed his mind. While he basically meant no harm, she realized that his abysmal knight nature was still part of him.

"Yes, Khaesilya?" Agranias replied. He weighed his words carefully before speaking them. She was readily trusted by the Priestess Silmeia and her companions meaning that she can expose his true identity to them with a word.

"Why did the Lord of Death abandon you?" Khaesilya asked.

Agranias's eyes narrowed in recollection. He still remembered every minute of that fateful day he left the Lord of Death's service. "Can you tell me a little of yourself first?" He asked. "How are you related to the crusader who often accompanies Priestess Silmeia?" He asked.

Khaesilya allowed a brief smile to curve her lips. "I am a servant of my master, Makaelthos Solcry."

Khaesilya's introduction intrigued Agranias further. He had seen sohee slaves before. He watched them in Glastheim; being carted along into lines towards the laboratories or the lust chambers. Sohee slaves obeyed without question or variety. They followed the bearers of their silver knives of chastity like pets and never spoke unless ordered to. None of these things fit Khaesilya. "In a way, Khaesilya, it was probably I who abandoned him." He answered.

Agranias's words surprised Khaesilya. She knew little of the abysmal knights or the Lord of Death save for what she saw and heard in the last few weeks. The abysmal knights were unthinking and unfeeling extensions of the Lord of Death. She hadn't bothered to read their surface thoughts before because she thought they were like raydrics; empty underneath all that cold, black metal. It was a strange thing but everything that happened in the last few days were strange. "Why?" She asked.

Agranias stared at his hands. The black metal of his gauntlets mocked everything that he was trying to accomplish. They seemed to absorb any light that fell on them; giving them no gleam whatsoever. Even with all his efforts to change he could still see the unforgiving metal stained with the blood of his victims. "Because I could no longer bring myself to fight for his cause." He answered. "I could not stand another day of fighting for a being that cared only for death and misery and I couldn't bear the thought that I was ever a part of his darkness."

Khaesilya sat on one of the benches by the fountain. Agranias's tale was intriguing. She wanted to find out more; if only to make sure that he was no threat to her master. "And you just left?" She asked him.

Agranias sighed and took a seat as well. He felt strangely at ease with Khaesilya. Perhaps it was because they shared a similar dark nature as well as the same fate. 'To live among humans like so...' He thought. Agranias wasn't sure if his secret was safe with the sohee. But she had found him out already and sharing his side would be comforting. If he was to be judged, he wanted to be judged with his own words. "I didn't just leave." He answered. "I disobeyed a direct order from the Lord of Death. As punishment, he removed me from my position and ordered the rest of his abysmal knights to kill me."

Khaesilya watched as the last of the citizenry went home. Soon they were the only ones left in the main square. She did notice a few acolytes stare at them for a while before entering Baelthran's. "You were of importance to the Lord of Death as an abysmal knight, weren't you?" She asked. "How could he just cast you away?"

Agranias's thoughts went to the one who replaced him. His eyes narrowed in anger as he recalled the grinning, triumphant image of Aelumina; his former second-in-command. "I served as captain of the Lord of Death's abysmal knights." He replied. "During my captaincy I held life or death power over the rest of my troop but that didn't mean that there were no others who coveted my position. The abysmal knights, despite their seeming monolithic unity, have their own shares of ambition and betrayal."

Khaesilya watched as the Agranias's fists clenched.

"Aelumina was my second-in-command. She was called "Eyes of Hell" and was next to me in fighting power." He continued. "She had been plotting against me ever since we awakened. When she saw that I was beginning to doubt our purpose, she used the opportunity to take my position. The Lord of Death made her the new captain and her first orders were to execute me. You can imagine her eagerness to carry out such a command." Agranias remembered the triumphant look on Aelumina's face when she brought her dark blade down on his wounded form. Even the former captain of the abysmal knights could not hold out against seven others of his kind. Khaesilya's question interrupted his thoughts once again.

"Are there others in your troop who believed in what you espoused, Sir Agranias?" She asked.

Agranias thought back to the faces of his troop. He remembered the cold expressions on every one of those faces. It was unlikely that he could have gained their support. Still, he remembered the only one who actually aided him against the plots of Aelumina. "No abysmal knight could have felt the same things I did." He answered. "We were meant to be extensions of the Lord of Death's will. It was not for us to think independently of him but to obey without question. However, there was one who could have supported me but he did not want to cross either the Lord of Death or his older sister. His name was Selinas. Perhaps he was the only one I ever trusted in the troop."

Khaesilya peered once more into Agranias's surface thoughts. While she had no access to his inner thoughts, she had the ability to see the images that flit about at the outermost edges of his thinking. What she saw were the faces and names of Agranias's former troops. Apparently, Agranias had led this troop for as long as he could remember. She saw images of arguments with a female abysmal knight. Another abysmal knight came into view. Two dark blades hung on either side of its hips as it rode towards Agranias. The new abysmal knight removed his helmet; revealing boyish features and a smooth face. This was Selinas.

Khaesilya's eyes widened; a gasp escaped from her lips as Agranias's thoughts shifted. All of a sudden she found them in the middle of a desert; standing over the body of a priestess that could only be- "You killed Lystra Cafilence?" She blurted out. She looked around nervously; fearing that someone might hear. Her master strictly forbade her from peering into his friends' minds; especially Silmeia when her younger sister died, but she knew enough of the priestess's state of mind to know that terrible things would happen to Lystra's killer if his identity became known.

Agranias lowered his gaze and nodded. "Since you are privy to my thoughts, Khaesilya, you must have seen it already." He answered. "My troop was scouting around the Sograt desert when we encountered a party of priests and wizards. I was the first to engage them and my only thoughts were to slay each and every one of them before presenting their heads to the Lord of Death. That was when I met Lystra Cafilence." Agranias stared at the night sky once again as he thought back to that fateful day. The night reminded him of both Lystra's and Silmeia's hair, dark and lovely. "To give one's life willingly in a supreme act of good." He mused aloud, more to himself than for Khaesilya. "Her actions surprised me as it opened a new way of looking at things. I didn't acknowledge it at first but I had realized then that there were far greater things than killing. To sacrifice one's life for another…I had never known that such things were possible. It made me question the reasons behind such an act and in the process I began to question the reasons why I had to kill in the first place."

Khaesilya sat motionless as she listened to Agranias. She had never expected such words to come from an abysmal knight. "What happened after that?" She asked.

Agranias gazed sadly at the city. "Despite my doubts, I continued to serve as before." He answered. "I couldn't show any sign of hesitation with Aelumina watching my every move for a slight hint of weakness. We easily took the desert from the Morroc frontier guards as well as Prontera's patrols. Our next targets were the lands around Prontera itself. The Lord of Death wanted the capital under his heel. Along the way my troop encountered a pair of Pronteran novices. They were busy training with their knives by practicing on some of the lesser creatures. I wanted to ignore them. What purpose was there to slay a couple of children? We could have passed them without being detected but the Lord of Death wanted them dead." Agranias clenched his fists tightly as he remembered the last day of his servitude. He remembered the outrage that welled up within him when the orders lacked sense but demanded to be obeyed. ""Kill them both, Agranias." He told me. "Kill the boy first so I may savor the girl's despair." I rode over to the two. They screamed and tried to escape but the rest of my troop surrounded them. I raised my dark blade to finish the boy when he did something that I never expected. He stood protectively over his friend and raised his knife at me. My troop laughed derisively while he glared defiantly at all of us. I heard him whisper to the girl; telling her to make a run for it while he distracted all of us. It was a weak plan but once more I pondered over such willingness to sacrifice. I couldn't bring myself to kill him."

Khaesilya nodded; finally understanding. "That was why you disobeyed your lord."

Agranias's fists unclenched. "I told the Lord of Death that I would not do it." He said. "There was no sense in killing them, especially after they displayed such courage. All he did was to appoint Aelumina as my replacement. Without so much as acknowledging my decision, the Lord of Death declared me a traitor and ordered them all to kill me. I broke past their circle and allowed the two to escape but Aelumina shot the boy down before he could even take a step. I threw myself at her to let the girl escape but the rest of my troop closed in on me quickly. After a terrible battle, I managed to escape but I was badly wounded and I must have collapsed. The next thing I knew, Priestess Silmeia was beside me."

Khaesilya's expression grew concerned. Silmeia Cafilence was an important friend to her master. Anything that might hurt her would make him worry as he always did for his friends. "Does she know?" She asked.

Agranias's face twisted in remorse. "She doesn't." He said. "How could I tell her?"

Khaesilya was silent for a while. How could the abysmal knight tell the priestess that he was the very object of her hate? The thought brought her to realize another truth; that Silmeia's hatred of abysmal knights and the Lord of Death had taken root deeply into her being. She doubted if there would ever be an opportunity for Agranias to tell her the truth without facing this hatred. "Then…do you plan to stay this way?" She asked him. "Hiding your true nature?" What a miserable life that would be, hiding in fear always.

Agranias looked at Khaesilya. She did not hide her nature from the people of Prontera. But he was not like her. There were no abysmal knights who served as servants like many sohees did. His troop had plagued humanity for more than a thousand years. "I must, if I am to stay by her side." He replied.

The two were silent once again. Khaesilya didn't know what else she could ask Agranias. He seemed so secretive that she even found his thoughts to be difficult to navigate. She admired his loyalty to Silmeia though; it reminded her of her own loyalty to her master. "Sir Agranias, I will keep your secrets safe with me." She said. "Though I pray for the time when there is no longer any need to do so."

Agranias nodded; relief was obvious in his eyes. "And I thank you for it, Khaesilya." He replied. "May I ask you a question this time?"

Khaesilya smiled once again. "I think you deserve to do so, Sir Agranias. I've been prodding you about your past too much."

Agranias returned the smile before asking his question. "You are not bound by a silver knife of chastity, Khaesilya, yet you choose to remain in the service of your master. Why do you remain loyal to him?" He asked.

Khaesilya's eyes went to the direction of Baelthran's tavern. "Master Makaelthos deserves my undying loyalty, Sir Agranias." She answered. :It's not that he asks for it. Indeed, he would rather see me living for myself." Khaesilya looked back fondly to the days she spent with her master. "I had thought first that it was out of gratitude that I served him. A lifetime of service could never repay everything he has done for me. It goes deeper than that. I have never felt more content than when I am beside Master Makaelthos. Watching him live, aiding him in all things…it's not something I have to do. It's what I always want to."

Agranias watched Khaesilya curiously. She seemed so happy that she served Makaelthos Solcry. He had never seen a happy sohee before. Khaesilya was different. While she possessed features that were common to all sohees, such as pale skin, long, black hair and slanted, red eyes, she looked different from them for some reason. She seemed more radiant than other sohees. When she stood behind Sir Makaelthos, something seemed to light up her face. He, on the other hand, had never felt that way when he served the Lord of Death. "Khaesilya." He began.

Khaesilya turned her attention back towards him. "Yes, Sir Agranias?"

"How did you come to serve the cru-I mean Sir Makaelthos?" He asked her.

Khaesilya's smile saddened slightly."I suppose I should tell you of myself, Sir Agranias, as you have shown me so much of your past." She replied.

Agranias raised his hands in protest. "You don't have to if it pains you." He added.

Khaesilya shook her head and raised a hand to stop the abysmal knight's halting apology. "It's alright." She said. She was silent for a while before she spoke again. "I was…a birthday present."

Agranias's eyes widened. "A present? By whom?"

Once more Khaesilya was silent. Her first days of servitude under a silver knife of chastity were dark and gloomy. She remembered being forced to stay in a cage under one of Morroc's damp cellars; waiting for someone to provide her with any food at all. "I remember only glimpses of my life before NightKnife's agents captured me." She said. "The guild mistress hunted for me specifically, I was told. It was her right hand man's birthday soon and she couldn't think of a better present than me. I was to be the personal slave of NightKnife Master Makaelthos Solcry." Khaesilya's mood lightened as she switched from speaking about NightKnife to the first time she met her master. She remembered the warm smile he gave her. The look of understanding in his eyes that made her feel disgusted with herself for slashing at him with her stiletto. "When I first saw Master Makaelthos, I immediately knew that he was different from the rest of NightKnife's members. He did not eye me lustfully like the other thieves and he was not taken aback that I was so distrustful of humans back then."

As Agranias listened, he realized more similarities between him and her. His days in Glastheim and her days as a slave showed them just how cruel and callous humans were. It took time for them to learn otherwise.

"There was no master kinder or nobler than Master Makaelthos in his guild. Indeed, he was the only one who was even interested in knowing my name. To the others I was simply called "Makaelthos's slave". As I stayed longer in NightKnife, I saw how other sohee slaves were abused or even killed. I pitied them greatly and I learned to hate NightKnife just as I learned to care for Master Makaelthos. I soon realized that he no longer condoned the activities of his guild." The sohee remembered the day her master left NightKnife. That was a dangerous time for them and a confusing time for her master. "The guild mistress, Trynis Eviskrae, didn't want to let him go but Master Makaelthos refused to take part in her guild anymore. It was then that he destroyed the silver knife of chastity that bound me in his service. He told me that I was free. He could not force his path on me."

Khaesilya smiled once again.

"I knew little of my own past but I knew that I wasn't welcome in the Payon Caves." She continued. "While I pitied the sohee slaves, I had no love for my own race otherwise. I know it sounds callous and, perhaps, it's part of the silver knife's effects. I never dwelled long on it and I've stopped trying to understand it. I do know that I feel completely content in being of service to Master Makaelthos. I have no need to understand what happened to me before. What I have now is good enough."

Agranias felt himself smile at the Khaesilya's tale. The resemblance and contrast of their stories somehow made him more at ease with himself. At least he knew that he wasn't the only one who struggled to fit in human society because of someone. 'So it is only in Sir Makaelthos that Khaesilya finds what she always wants. I wonder if I feel the same with the priestess.' He thought.

It was midnight when the abysmal knight and the sohee parted ways. Morning would come soon and both of them had someone very important to protect from the war.

* * *

**World Notes**

**Silver Knife of Chastity – **a silver knife of chastity is a device created to control sohees. It resembles a curved dagger made of a gleaming silvery material. The handle and blade are all made of the same material. The glastheimians were the first to create these devices and the method has survived all the way to the present. To create a single silver knife, the fragments of, at least, ten sohee life-stilettos must be smelted into the silvery metal. The metal is then forged by a blacksmith with the aid of two wizards with skills in frost magic and a priest who knows how to cast the Exorcism spell. A complicated ritual accompanies the forging and the result is a completed silver knife of chastity. Silver knives are not reliable, however, and have been known to frequently break when used to "tame" a sohee. It has been discovered that greater the number of life-stilettos added into the smelting, the stronger the silver knife becomes but as the amount of material increases, so does the price of a single knife. A "tamed" sohee is forced to obey the bearer of the silver knife of chastity. The knife may be given to others but a period of time is required before the sohee acknowledges the new master. Prior to that time, she continues to follow her old master. Due to the difficulty of creating the silver knives and their unreliability, the price of a sohee slave can easily go to millions of zenny.

**Life-stiletto – **all sohees emerge from their sacred pools as infants holding a stiletto. This stiletto is called a life-stiletto and it has several magical properties. Life-stilettos grow with their owner and are unbreakable so long as their owner remains alive. Upon a sohee's death, her life-stiletto immediately breaks into pieces. Sohees are also able to summon their stilettos no matter where they are and know where they are located at all times.


	27. Complications

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 25: Complications**

Trenzein Zaisen made his way slowly back to his quarters. The evening was getting late and he knew that there was a chance that the orcs would attack again tomorrow. Who knows, there might be more of those spell casting orcs he had to prepare for. If there were, he wasn't going to fool around this time. A quick and efficient victory would remind certain witnesses that he was hardly in over his head. Just thinking of Seihanine's dry comment annoyed him to no end.

'I am not taking this battle for granted! She's worrying needlessly!' he thought to himself. He shook his head just to stop thinking of her words. It wasn't the first time Seihanine had reminded him that he could be killed. Ever since he started travelling with her and her brother, he had always found a need to show her that he could handle whatever situation he placed himself in. It was frustrating for him that she never learned. For every risk he took, she would always coldly remind him that the results could have been radically different. Shrugging his shoulders; he took out his keys and prepared to enter his room. Finding it unlocked; he stood back for a moment. 'Someone's broken into my room? We'll see about that.' Trenzein pushed the door open; an incantation already half finished on his lips and his hands surging with magical energy. The words slipped on his tongue once he saw what was inside his room however.

A dead assassin was lying face up in the center of his room. Blood had pooled around the body; staining almost the entire floor in crimson. A heavy metallic smell wafted towards him; making him nauseous and clinging to his clothes. Judging by the smell, Trenzein guessed that the assassin was dead for at least a few hours. What he found disturbing was the gaping hole in the middle of the assassin's chest. It appeared as if the heart was cut out. The agonized expression that permanently twisted the assassin's face was a horrid indication that he was still alive when it was done. Trenzein bent over to look at the wound closely; making sure that he touched nothing. The wound's edges were smooth. Even the ribs that were cut out had smooth edges. Whatever cut it was extremely sharp and precise. His eyes widened in realization; he knew only one person who would butcher a victim like this.

'But that's impossible! This means-'

Trenzein stood up and whirled. It was too late. An arm; a slender and feminine arm, grasped him from behind. A long straight blade appeared near his neck, close to the large veins in it. His suspicions were confirmed when he noticed the Payonese characters engraved on the weapon's blade. Only one person he knew would carry such a weapon. "Malice." he muttered under his breath. "I never thought I'd ever see you again."

Soft, feminine laughter came from Trenzein's attacker. Another arm grasped him from behind; locking him in a deadly embrace. A second blade glinted from the other hand as it locked against the first; trapping his neck between the two blades. "Don't forget Fury, Zein! And they have missed you so…not as much as I have though."

The first blade belonged to a gladius, a weapon which was as much of a dagger as it was a short sword. Its straight blade was as long as a man's forearm with sharpened edges on both sides. A single Payonese character was inscribed on the blade and it was the character for "Malice". The blade traced a line across Trenzein's cheek. The other dagger was a main gauche, also straight-bladed but much shorter. The blade was wider for parrying blows. The Payonese character for "Fury" was inscribed on the blade. It was kept in its position near his jugular vein. A trickle of blood welled from the cut on his cheek. Already, the tiny cut burned like several wasp stings blending into one. Malice dripped with poison as usual. "I thought you were dead, Maiha." Trenzein spoke the name through grit teeth.

The assassin laughed softly once more. Slowly, she pulled him closer; gently licking the blood on his cheek with the tip of her tongue. Trenzein shivered with disgust. "Well, I suppose you'd think that, Zein." she whispered in his ear. "You were watching when my baby sister put an arrow through my chest. It was…delicious in a way but far too efficient to make it really satisfying. For all her bluster about murdering me, Sei just wasn't woman enough for the job."

Trenzein tried to turn his head about to catch a glimpse of the assassin's face. The mannerisms and the voice were enough to convince him that it really was Maiha Il-Xalascent but he couldn't simply believe that Kreizen and Seihanine's half-sister was still alive.

"Don't squirm too much, Zein." she whispered again. "You'll make me do something horrid and our fun's barely started to get into that kind of amusement."

Trenzein felt the urge to cast a spell. He wanted knock this psychotic assassin from his room with a surge of fire, ice and lightning but he knew that she'd cut his throat wide open before he could complete even the most basic of spells.

"No spellcasting now, Zein." Maiha told him; echoing his thoughts. "I'll have to break your fingers if you did. While that would be exquisite, I'd rather that you'd be able to cast spells later. Just the thought of getting struck by your spells makes me shiver. A little fire to sear the skin a nice bright red and a little lightning to char the edges; it'll be like you cooking me for a meal, how delightful!"

Trenzein cursed under his breath. "Always the madwoman, aren't you, Maiha?" he asked.

More laughter. "Madwoman?" Maiha scoffed. "May be, Zein, but I think that would really turn you on if you'd just admit it!"

Malice made its way towards Trenzein's chest while Fury remained positioned near his neck; ensuring that he was helpless to fight back. Suddenly, the gladius stabbed forward; piercing his side. He grit his teeth in agony; refusing Maiha the sick pleasure of hearing him scream. The pain was excruciating but Maiha's blow was precise. The dagger slipped past his flesh without striking anything vital. Malice went through his side; burying itself into Maiha's side as well. He heard a slight moan of pleasure escape the assassin's lips. "Simply wonderful, isn't it, Zein? And to think that I was sent here to "get rid of that upstart wizard quickly and quietly". Now why should I do that when we can enjoy each other tonight?"

Trenzein grunted in pain as Maiha's fingers probed his wounds gently. The weapon's poison was already doing its work. It felt like a hundred vile worms slipping into the wound and slithering into his insides; biting and chewing away at his innards. Knowing Maiha, he guessed that while the poison was extremely painful, it was not lethal. She simply loved causing pain too much to ever allow her victims the leisure of a quick death. Her words brought something to mind, though. "And just who asked you to kill me, Maiha?" he gasped. "Koullufen Aethernas?"

Maiha slipped her fingers out of Trenzein's wound and thought for a while. She placed her bloody finger in her mouth in introspection. "Hmm…yes it was him, Zein." she answered. "He sent this man to make sure I did the job right. He wasn't much fun though. He actually fainted while I was right in the middle of my fun."

Trenzein glanced at the bloody corpse. A vision of his own eviscerated body sprawled on the floor suddenly flashed in his head. "And his heart?" he asked. He already knew the grisly truth before the answer came.

Maiha laughed softly. In some ways, she reminded Trenzein of a less serious Seihanine. A less serious, horribly twisted Seihanine. Or it could be the other way around; that Seihanine reminded him of less psychotic Maiha.

"There's nothing like a light snack to pass the time, Zein." Maiha answered with a smack of her lips. "You did take your time in coming home."

Trenzein felt nausea rise to his throat. He had learned long ago that Maiha ate the hearts of her victims but he would never get used to it. He also knew that if he ever did then the assassin had succeeded in rotting away a portion of his humanity. Malice made its way to the center of his chest.

"Don't worry, Zein." Maiha tried to sound reassuring. "I'm not going to eat your heart! You're too enjoyable for that! My baby sister is a different matter though. Sometimes I think ice water flows in that girl's veins. Pricking her is like pricking a corpse; hardly any juicy reaction at all and you know that the juicy reaction is what I'm always after." Maiha started stroking Trenzein's chest while she talked. Trenzein could hear a slight rumbling in her throat. It sounded like that of a cat's purr while being stroked.

Ignoring the disgust rising to the back of his neck; Trenzein concentrated on his options. While Maiha was easily distracted by pain, whether her own or her victim's, her reflexes were unnaturally fast. It was safe to assume that she was probably under the influence of an awakening potion. Such drugs were prohibited by Pronteran law due to their addictive properties and dangerous withdrawal effects. He decided to get some information about her employer first. "So why does Koullufen want me dead so badly?" he asked.

Maiha stopped stroking the Trenzein's chest and proceeded to nibbling painfully on his ear. "Well…I think it has something to do with you telling him that he was about as sharp as a marine sphere." she mumbled in-between nibbles. "That really pissed him off. But then he did mention someone named Abraxil…Survivor or something. I don't get into these kinds of details, Zein. Now can I ask you a question?"

Trenzein raised an eyebrow. He had not expected the assassin to ask questions of her own. He even wondered how her deranged mind could even digest any information at all. Curiosity got the better of him however. "And what would you possibly want to know?" he asked.

Malice returned to its position under Trenzein's chin. "Have you…bedded my baby sister?" Maiha asked the question playfully with licentiousness dripping from the edge of her tone.

Despite the danger of his situation, Trenzein failed to stop the blood from rushing to his face. He could not completely deny that such thoughts crossed his mind. It was probably something he had in common with the men that Seihanine had known in the past. There was one thing that separated him from them though. Kreizen had not twisted his limbs like wire. "And why the hell would I do that?" he asked in indignation.

Malys relaxed slightly. "No particular reason, Zein." she answered. "I wish you had though it would make her death all the more painful too you. Besides, it's a bit disappointing if little Sei died a virgin. Hmm…maybe I should get someone to rape her before I finish her off. You'd fill the role nicely, my perverted little vegetable."

That was it. Trenzein's face darkened. His golden eyes flashed briefly as magical power coursed through his arms. Malice and Fury were quick to tighten around his neck.

"Ah…ah, Zein. No spellcasting, remember?" Maiha warned. Her playful tone had a hint of concern around it.

Trenzein ignored the assassin's warning. The mention of raping Seihanine was too much. He would destroy this madwoman even at the cost of his life! "Let go of me, woman!" he shouted. A blast of raw magical energy erupted from him in the form of a globe.

The blast knocked Maiha back and straight into the air. She quickly buried Fury into a wall; allowing her to hold on to it and cling to the wall. She felt the burns on her arms and grinned. "Wonderful! That was simply delicious!" she laughed. "Do more, Zein!"

Trenzein's eyes glowed with golden light. He was getting extremely annoyed at his opponent's sadomasochism. He expected the targets of his spells to cry out in pain or to beg for mercy. Watching someone asking him to do more unnerved him more than seeing how she had moved so fast to turn his lethal attack to a few vicious burns. Portions of his own flesh along his arms and back had opened up as well. Magic was meant to flow through the elements and the conventional spells were exactly that; elements guided by diluted magic. Unleashing it unbound created an invisible concussive force that hurt the caster as well as the target. "Shut up!" he snarled. Sharp spikes of ice materialized from the air and flew towards where Trenzein's hands pointed. Maiha did not evade them; allowing the jagged pieces of ice to gash her in several places. One shard buried itself deeply into the upper part of her chest. Maiha withdrew Fury from the wall and jumped above Trenzein. Her laughter echoed inside the room as Trenzein sent a blast of ice towards her. This time, she evaded the blast and charged. Malice and Fury cut into his side in a deadly scissor-attack. The wound was deep and the pain caused Trenzein to wince and lose the spell he was about to cast. Before he could recover, Maiha was already out the door. "Great, she escaped." he muttered. "Now I have to tell Sei that Maiha's still alive.'

* * *

Maiha Il-Xalascent watched from afar as Trenzein returned to his room. She pressed her burns softly; enjoying the stinging sensation while Malys cut the burns open. Fresh blood leaked from the injuries; trickling down her legs slowly. "I'll enjoy you later, Zein." She whispered towards his direction. "As for now…I think I'll have a little vengeance on my baby sister first." Maiha sheathed her weapons and walked into the darkness. She wasn't really interested in Koullufen's money. She could get any amount at any time she wanted. As for her dead "partner"...well, it was easy to blame that on Trenzein.

Maiha laughed once more and vanished.

* * *

Trenzein Zaisen teleported the assassin's body outside the city. No one would miss another assassin anyway. He doubted if this one had any connections in Prontera before Maiha decided to eat his heart. A combination of his minor healing ability and a roll of bandages took care of his injuries. He wasn't going to have a priest or an acolyte look at him; that would force him to make explanations. 'Let that idiot, Koullufen, figure out what happened to his assassins.' He thought. 'Maiha would probably blame me for this guy's death.' His thoughts went to the female assassin who nearly killed him tonight. Despite being only half-sisters, Maiha and Seihanine shared plenty of traits. They were naturally graceful, athletic and slim. Their hair was of equal length although Maiha's hair was a darker blue compared to Seihanine's lightly colored hair. Their eyes were slanted, as most Payon-born women's were. While Seihanine's eyes were a pale blue, Maiha's were a soft brown. What differentiated the two was their way of thinking. Seihanine was calm and efficient; always quick to end a battle as soon as it started. Maiha was a deranged but powerful combatant. She was both a sadist and a masochist and she took advantage of every opportunity to hurt or get hurt. Trenzein also remembered the last time they fought the psychotic assassin. "I thought you buried your clan's shame in Glastheim, Sei." he muttered. "Looks like you didn't finish the job right this time."

Maiha should have been dead. A silver-tipped arrow should have pierced her vile heart and ended her foul existence. How she could have survived was beyond even Trenzein's reasoning. He stared out his window and wondered. 'And during the war too…is her comeback a bad sign?'

Knowing Maiha, Trenzein didn't have to think about the answer to that one.

* * *

**World notes **

**Awakening potion – **an awakening potion is a drug made from a mixture of a variety of green herbs and the blood of matyrs, the crazed hounds that wander the pyramids. The mixture, once ingested, heightened the imbiber's senses and reflexes. Warriors once prized he drink as a way to improve their prowess before entering combat. Unfortunately side-effects from prolonged use exists. Awakening potions are highly addictive and can severely damage a user's brain. Long term use eventually drives the user insane. Concentration potions are a milder version of the drug, made from familiar blood mixed with the same variety of green herb. Berserk potions are a more powerful and dangerous version made from the plant and Minorus blood.

**Il-Xalascent – **Payonese clans are closely-knit family groups with very strict rules. Often, certain members of these clans commit acts that isolate them from the rest of their family. They are banished from the clan and the word "Il" which means "not" is added to their last family name as a mark of their permanent separation. Banished members are unwelcome among any clans that are friendly with the clan they were banished from.

**Change notes**

**Malice and Fury – **Readers may recall Maiha Il-Xalascent's signature weapons as being spelled as "Malys and Furie". The reason for the change is that I've decided to make Payonese characters as similar to pictograms like Japanese Kanji or Chinese characters. Variations on the spelling therefore is unlikely.


	28. Steel and shadow

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 26: Steel and shadow**

After their meal, Eliarainne and Makaelthos left Baelthran's at the same time. Once more, Eliarainne took full blast of the jealous stares that Silmeia's acolytes gave her. More to amuse herself with their reactions than any actual anger, she glared at them. Frightened, one of them even yelped, the acolytes turned away. Even battle-hardened knights were known to squirm under the First Knight Commander's glare. Smiling inwardly; she turned to face her partner. Makaelthos probably didn't even notice to poor girls who were showering him with hidden affection. "Off to bed, Makaelthos?" She asked.

Makaelthos shook his head wearily in response. Eliarainne always did admire his habit of finishing all of his duties, no matter how trivial, before resting. She sometimes wondered how he had the patience for these things. "I still have to make a report at the cathedral. It could take a while." He explained.

Eliarainne nodded and parted ways with her partner before reaching the knights' barracks. She also had some things to do before going to bed. She went to the stables first, where her mount was waiting. Bristle was still saddled just in case an attack came and he had to be rested and fed for the possibility of a battle the following day. Then she had to inspect and maintain her equipment.

"Good evening, Miss Sialsanderin." A deep, rasping voice suddenly spoke from behind her.

Eliarainne stopped as soon as she heard the name. She was known through many names and titles in Prontera and her relationships determined who used what name. Her friends, and only her friends, called her "Rainne", except Makaelthos who stuck with "Eliarainne". He was probably the only person, save her father, who called her that. Her men called her "First Knight Commander Sialsanderin" to her face and then talked about their "war goddess" when they thought she wasn't listening. Some would call her "Dame Sialsanderin", people who may not see her as a leader of men but respected that she was a knight. "Miss Sialsanderin" grated on her nerves. "Miss Sialsanderin" did not acknowledge her as a Knight Commander or even just a knight. It was impersonal and irreverent at the same time, only used by acquaintances of her father; people who didn't know her at all except as Cafilex's daughter, people who were likely to end their encounter with her with some sort of injury.

"_I'll kill him! I'll lay him on the ground…gut him and kill him!"_

The memory of her own threat against the arrogant merchant surprised even Eliarainne. Did she really even say that? She was so angry at that moment that all of a sudden she just went berserk. A moment after that, she was already holding halberd. She turned to face the one who called her. A glare and a brief berating will probably do for now. She was rather tired herself. "And who the hell are you?" She demanded.

Even as Eliarainne asked the question, the man's appearance became all too familiar to her. The gray skin, the color of a long dead corpse, immediately told her that she wasn't facing something human. The bony spikes that protruded from the man's shoulders and arms, as well as the pair of katars strapped to his hands were clearer signs of his true nature. "An injustice." She growled. Already her hands reached for a weapon. Even Makaelthos would agree that there was no peaceful settlement when dealing with the degenerate "humans" of Glastheim's ruins. "What foul business do you have here in Prontera, monster?"

The injustice smiled toothily and glanced at the black and purple band he wore on his left arm. The answer was simple; NightKnife. Eliarainne's hand went to the lance resting on Bristle's saddle. The pecopeco's feathers rose at the monster's unnatural presence. Bristle did not shy away from potential enemies. He was a big male; likely the leader of a large flock if he was in the wild and he had faced many foes while serving as the First Knight Commander's mount. Injustices were a degenerate race of humans who lived in Glastheim's ruins. They were evil, sadistic and had a fascination with murder. They were also infamous for their speed, power and prowess, often making them qualified as assassins. All of that didn't matter. Bristle was trained for war and would run into a wall of barbed pikes if his mistress commanded it.

"Business? What business do all injustice have, Miss Sialsanderin?" The injustice spoke. "Murder is my eternal business and, tonight, the client is you!" He was about twenty feet from Eliarainne when he said those words. The last word had barely finished when he had already crossed that distance. His katars flashed dangerously close to her neck but she was also quick to react. She leaped onto her mount; dodging the strike and then swung her lance. Her attack whistled past the side of the injustice's face; nearly skewering his head.

"You're good, knight." The injustice rasped as it crouched low, ready for another attack. "It takes uncanny reflexes to survive my initial attack."

Eliarainne's eyes narrowed. There was nothing uncanny about her reflexes. It came from years of dealing with assassins, rogues and all sorts of professions that used sudden attack as their main weapon. A sting was nothing new to her. "Don't flatter yourself, injustice." She spat. "I've killed more assassins than your guild has members. It will take more than just speed to take me out!" She urged Bristle forward; causing the pecopeco to dash towards her opponent. The injustice sidestepped the charge and slashed at her shield arm with his katars. She ignored the blades as she dashed past the injustice. Her armor absorbed most of the impact; causing the injustice's attack to deal only a minor scratch.

The injustice laughed. "Running from Creivil? I thought the famous First Knight Commander ran from no one!" He crowed after her.

Eliarainne stopped as soon as she reached the center of the street. At this time of night, the streets were deserted. The patrols were positioned near the walls while the knights inside the barracks were either asleep or on duty near the city gates. The street lights were not fire but globes of light created by Prontera's acolytes. They illuminated everything in soft, white-blue. The lights were spaced enough for plenty of shadows in-between however. "Running?" Eliarainne answered as she pointed her lance at the injustice. "I'd say I have you were I want, Creivil."

Creivil laughed harshly and readied his katars. Some of Eliarainne's blood dripped from them. He grinned and slowly licked the blood from the blades. His toothy mouth smacked with anticipation. "You're surrounded by shadows, knight." He taunted. "And we're in a wide open space. I can take full advantage of the surroundings to finish you off easily!"

Eliarainne smiled grimly. "You have no concept of terrain, do you?" She answered. "There's more to our differences than who's faster or slower and there's more to the terrain than shadows." With that, Eliarainne charged; her lance positioned to kill on impact. Bristle's clawed feet made little noise against the paved streets of Prontera without its steel-tipped claws attached.

Creivil grinned and met the charge. He laughed harshly once more as he sidestepped his opponent's thrust. "All I'm hearing is the last words of another dead knight!" He crowed in triumph as he moved in to attack the knight's exposed side. He paused briefly; suddenly realizing that something was wrong with the exchange. By that time though it was too late. 'That thrust was too shallow, that means-!' The thought didn't even finish in his mind when the consequences of rushing in showed themselves.

Eliarainne recovered from her initial thrust at a speed Creivil did not expect her to have. She thrust again; an expert twist from the hip brought the force of her body shooting straight for the single point at the end of her lance. With no time to evade, the injustice raised his katars for a cross-block. Her lance's sharpened tip shattered his left katar and punched a hole through his chest. Black liquid, Eliarainne wasn't sure and she didn't care otherwise if it was crimson turned black by the moonlight or really black, spattered onto the stone pavement. Eliarainne withdrew the weapon and kicked the injustice aside as she rode past him.

Without so much as a squawk, Bristle turned around swiftly and was ready for another charge. Creivil stared, first, at his broken katar and then to the gaping hole on the left part of his chest. Eliarainne kept her guard up. An enemy was dangerous as long as he remained alive. "Where you are, Creivil, is on a Pronteran street." She answered grimly. She relished battle not killing. The battle was already over and Eliarainne settled into the grim business of having to kill this assassin. "You are facing an armed, armored and mounted knight on unfamiliar open ground where she can use her mobility, momentum and knowledge of the current terrain to full advantage. Faced with such odds, your speed and shadows mean nothing."

The injustice raised his one katar. He was no longer grinning though. Victory seemed so unsure all of a sudden. "All you managed to do was catch me off guard with a feint, knight! This one katar will be all I need!" He mocked her; trying to steal her moment of victory.

Without another word, Eliarainne charged again. The injustice was about to evade but she was coming at him at full speed and, with his injury slowing him down, he could only block. As both of them expected, the combination of momentum, higher ground, weapon size, superior strength and mastery of the lance shattered the remaining katar like so much glass. The lance whipped about; striking his face with the shaft of the weapon.

The injustice tumbled to the ground; his head banging against stone. When he stood up, his face was covered in blood and his hair, gray like his skin, was caked with the dark liquid. He held his open wound, trying to stanch the flow of blood. Injustices were unnaturally hardy. So long as he was not killed instantly he could survive even this. He stared at the knight warily, wondering why he hadn't been killed instantly. "Heh…you could have killed me with that blow, knight." He said. "Why hold back?"

Eliarainne lowered her lance before answering. It was true that, a few years ago; she would have just killed this assassin, looted his weapons and then forgot about him in a few days. Years spent as Makaelthos's partner had ingrained in her the habit of occasionally trying to find other uses for her enemies besides trophies. "Because you're coming with me, injustice." She answered. "I'm going to pump every inch of useful information you have out of you."

The injustice eyed the knight warily. He had to respect the sheer fighting power of this woman…this knight. He had underestimated her greatly but he could not afford to get caught.

"If you need information about my guild, knight, talk to me." Someone spoke just a short distance away from the two.

Eliarainne turned to face the voice. She didn't even need to do that though. The voice was easily recognizable from its sinister and feminine quality, like the soft hiss of a snake that tried to reassure but only warned of how dangerous it was. "You're Trynis Eviskrae, guild mistress of NightKnife." She simply said.

Trynis nodded. The soft blue light of the ruwach spells seemed to catch around her hair, making it shimmer a silvery blue. "And you must be Eliarainne Sialsanderin, the famous or should I say, infamous commander of the First Knight Division." She replied. "They call you "war goddess", knight. I can see why." She cast a brief glance at the injured Creivil, who immediately backed into the darkness.

Eliarainne directed her weapon at the rogue. This was a chance to finally bring in the leader of NightKnife. She knew little of the guild save for the few hints Makaelthos or Khaesilya dropped on rare occasions. She did know that neither of the two enjoyed being hounded by this guild and that Rune-Midgard was better off with one criminal guild less. "Perhaps you'd like to feel why as well." She replied. "Since you're willing to take Creivil's place, I'll be bringing you in instead."

Trynis shook her head disapprovingly. Contempt dripped from her voice when she spoke again. "Mindlessly violent like a raydric...What Mak sees in you, I can never tell."

Eliarainne's eyes narrowed. The way Trynis referred to her partner as "Mak" was somehow infuriating. She was always afraid of using that name because she wasn't sure of how Makaelthos could react. She didn't want to upset him by being presumptuous but- "You sound like you know everything about Makaelthos!" She answered.

Trynis smiled at the response. Jealousy stuck out of the knight's words like arrows from a corpse. The thought made her angry as well. It was clear now that this knight wanted Makaelthos for herself. "But I do." She taunted. "I know everything about him, even how he fares at…certain things."

Eliarainne seethed at Trynis's hinting. She could understand why Makaelthos had stayed for so long with this woman though. She would be beautiful to his standards. Her smooth, tanned skin accentuated her luxurious silver hair. Trynis's eyes were a pale green, soft in contrast to Makaelthos's bright ones. They also caught the light from the ruwachs and glittered. Besides, she did seem to have been especially close to Makaelthos before. Eliarainne felt a twinge inside her chest; she dismissed it though. Now was not the time to think of such things. Instead, she managed to muster a smile. One taunt deserved another. "But that didn't stop him from leaving did it?" She shot back.

Trynis's smile disappeared and for a moment, a very quick moment, she felt an angry retort coming. In a flash, the impulse was quashed. She did not like this woman one bit. This Eliarainne Sialsanderin was as plain as a cardboard box, with hair the color of dry sand and greenish eyes yellowed like a disease. This knight was headstrong and violent; a blundering cow wearing metal for a hide and with brains as thick as the muscles of her arms. To think that Makaelthos valued this woman beyond using her as bait or as a wall to catch a hail of arrows tested her patience and few things could do that. A second more and she was fully composed again. "A well-put remark." She answered. "But I didn't come here to exchange barbs with you, Eliarainne."

Eliarainne's eyes narrowed again. "Fine, what do you want then?" She asked.

Trynis's voice changed from contemptuous and silky to icy and menacing. "What I want, knight, is you dead." She hissed. "I want you lying in a pool of your own blood while staring at me. I want you to try to gasp out a dying word but fail to do so because of a slit throat. I want to be there, gloating at you with the bloody knife in hand. I want to put my ear close to your face and listen to you die helplessly."

Eliarainne's grip on her lance tightened. She had heard a lot of rogues and assassins threaten her before. She usually dismissed them as bluster or a weak attempt to intimidate her to lower her guard. It had never worked before except this time. A shiver ran down her spine when Trynis spoke those words. The rogue's presence alone projected intense and sinister killing power. Even Bristle, who could match the stares of a pack of hungry wolves, squawked nervously. "And what's stopping you from trying?" She asked.

Trynis smiled sadly as she answered. The menace disappeared from her voice. "Because Mak would hate me for that and that's something I could never live with." She said softly. "So I have to settle for the next best thing."

Eliarainne raised an eyebrow. "And what's that?"

Trynis smiled; took a step back and promptly vanished into the shadows. Before Eliarainne could even think of looking for her, Trynis was already behind her, knife in hand. "Makaelthos belongs to me alone, knight." She whispered. "I want you to stay away from him so he can go back to being a NightKnife master."

Eliarainne felt the dagger slip between the plates of her armor and bite into her flesh. Furious at the sudden assault, she whipped about and grabbed the rogue's hand. Trynis quickly moved her hand away but Eliarainne had feinted. Her hand changed direction; backhanding the rogue on the face. Trynis jumped back and wiped the blood on her lip. The knight's armored fist had gashed her cheek. Eliarainne spurred her mount forward. The rogue merely smiled once more and vanished into the shadows. Eliarainne felt around the wound on her left side. The dagger had not struck anything vital and the wound was not that deep. Trynis's attack was not meant to be lethal but the message it sent was clear.

"Makaelthos goes where he wants, Trynis Eviskrae." Eliarainne growled after the shadows. "I'm not letting you or your guild stop him.' She was about to return to the stables when he caught a familiar scent waft her way. 'Smoke? Where's it coming from?' Eliarainne scanned the buildings around her. Smoke meant a very bad thing now. At once she caught sight of the burning building as it illuminated the evening sky. 'That's the main pronteran church!'

"_I still have to make a report at the cathedral. It could take a while…"_

Eliarainne rode to cathedral at full speed.

* * *

Trynis Eviskrae watched from atop a building as the cathedral church started burning. The flames were a dangerous sign to her. She had no knowledge of any act of arson directed at the Pronteran Church. What clues she had included the reports about the presence of free-lancing assassin by the name of Maiha Il-Xalascent. She turned to face the cadre of assassins behind her. "Keep an eye on this Maiha Il-Xalascent." She ordered them. "I want you to report any more free-lancing activities to me. Also send someone to investigate what happened to the cathedral. As for you Creivil…" Trynis turned to face the injured injustice. "You will be severely punished for disobeying my orders and attacking Eliarainne Sialsanderin. Be thankful that you failed. This punishment will be heaven compared to what I would have done to you had you succeeded."

Creivil nodded meekly. "I thank you for your mercy, guild mistress."

Trynis signalled for them to leave.

'Eliarainne Sialsanderin, I will get you out of my way.'

She walked away thinking of ways to murder a knight.

* * *

**World Notes**

**Ruwach – **Ruwach is one of the basic acolyte spells. It summons a globe of bluish-white light which illuminates with the strength of two torches. The caster can move it about in a short range. A ruwach lasts until it is dismissed or after twelve hours. Prontera's acolytes have districts assigned for them to light with their spells. Unlike the mage spell, Sight, Ruwach's light does not come from actual flames.

In game explanation – unlike in the game. This fic's ruwach does not damage hide characters and will only reveal them in the same way as shining a light on someone hiding in the shadows reveals people.

**Sting – **stings are assassins who specialize in using katars which are lighter than daggers. Assassins who prefer daggers are called fangs.


	29. Solcry

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 27: Solcry**

"Off to bed, Makaelthos?"

Makaelthos shook his head at his partner's question. He wouldn't be able to sleep if he knew there were tasks left undone for the night. "I still have to make a report at the cathedral." He answered. "It could take a while." With that, he parted ways with his partner and headed towards the cathedral.

Civilians would often be confused as to what was Makaelthos's position in the regular army. He made reports to both the army and the Church and had superiors on both sides. As a crusader was a careful blend of martial prowess and spiritual strength, he was an intermediary between the two closely linked organizations.

He was the First Knight Division's crusader specialist, meaning that he handled any situation regarding the undead, demons or Church matters. In those cases, he served as the functioning leader with Eliarainne deferring to him. Outside those duties his main duty was to advise Eliarainne on the Church's standing on any situation as well as to use his ability to heal to keep her alive and prevent the entire division from being leaderless. This was why they were partners, even though he wasn't even the sub-commander of the division. That rank belonged to Sir Althamas Kadrezyll. Along with it was the unfortunate job of handling most of the First Knight Division's paperwork.

"You good-for-nothing snake!" Someone shouted from across the street. "What do you mean you're hungry?"

Makaelthos looked to see who could possibly be out on the streets at this time of night. Prontera held no curfew but at times of crisis like the orcish attack, finding someone outside who was not a member of the regular army was suspicious. At once, he spotted the figure of a man outside another tavern; a merchant by the looks of his outfit. This one was accompanied by an enormous coiled creature with the body of a woman at one end and a tail at another; an isis slave.

Through the use of magical devices called armlets of obedience, people could risk their lives and try to capture and enslave the demonic snake-women of the pyramids. Armlets of obedience, like silver knives of chastity, had origins supposedly traceable to the rituals of Glastheim. Makaelthos didn't have to confirm it to be true. Evil places produced evil things and such objects of oppression could only come from the same place that produced the Dark Lord.

Pronteran law prohibited the creation of such devices within its territory but had no problems with the slaves themselves. There were reasons as to why Makaelthos considered the law imperfect even as he upheld it. This was one of them. Ironic that it was the same thing that kept people from prying too much into his relationship with Khaesilya.

The man was beating an isis slave with a club. The creature did not fight back, even though she towered over the man. If it was a free isis, she would have grabbed the attacker and laughed wickedly while his ribs crumpled in her coils. But this wasn't a free isis. She did raise her arms to protect herself from the constant beatings. "Please master. I haven't eaten for days!" She cried out.

The pleading only seemed to make the man angrier. Makaelthos could see the bruises that marked the isis's arms. Some of them looked old, signs that this had often happened before. Not only that, the isis was particularly thin. He could see the creature's rib cage sticking out of her skin and her arms looked sickly and extremely pale. The scales on her tail, usually bright red, were dull and grayish.

"You gluttonous snake!" The merchant shouted. "Don't you know how your food costs these days?"

Makaelthos was about to step forward to interfere when a cloaked man beat him to it. The man grabbed a hold of the merchant's arm with such force that the club fell from his fingers.

"Filthy slaver, is it not enough that you starve this creature that you must beat her as well?"

The merchant turned to face the cloaked figure. He tugged at the man's arm but could not get free of the iron grip. "And who the hell are you to interfere?" He shot back. "Go get your own isis to pamper, commoner!"

Red eyes gleamed under the hood. A bandaged hand suddenly grasped the merchant by the neck and lifted him a off the ground. "Commoner!" He raised his voice. Makaelthos easily recognized the powerful tone. "You think any form of rank would save you should I decide to crush your neck?"

The merchant struggled to break free from the figure's grip and looked back to his isis. "What are you waiting for?" He gagged. "Protect me!"

The isis hesitated as she stared at the cloaked figure. Realization dawned on her swiftly. "Your imperial majesty, please! I am bound to protect this man!" She hissed.

The bandaged man suddenly grabbed hold of the armlet of obedience from one of the merchant's pouches. He quickly crushed it to powder with one hand. The merchant stared at the man in panic and then at the isis. Without the armlet of obedience, the isis was free and demons took a dim view of those who would enslave them. "Imperial majesty?" He cried out in confusion. "Just who the hell are you?"

The man raised his other fist. All it would take was one blow to break this man in half.

"Enough!" Makaelthos rushed to stop the figure. His saber was already in his hand. The figure turned to face him.

"We meet again, Solcry." The bandaged man dropped the merchant, who immediately ran from him.

The isis stared after the man but did not follow. Instead, she turned to face the one that saved her instead. "As all of my kind are bound to do so, I am ready to serve you once more, your imperial majesty." She hissed softly.

The mummy didn't even look at the demon. "I will have use for you soon enough." He answered. "Join your sisters in my service." With a wave of his bandaged hand, Osiris opened a swirling pool of light on the ground. Without another word, the isis entered the portal and vanished.

Makaelthos watched Osiris curiously. He had never expected any act of kindness performed by an immortal who had slain countless people who entered his tomb. Then again, he recalled learning that, in life, Osiris was the most benevolent emperor in the history of the Moroccan Empire. "I didn't know the abuse of slaves infuriated you so, Osiris." He said.

Osiris turned to face Makaelthos. Red eyes still gleamed from his hood. "I do not care for them as you might think I do, Solcry." He answered. "They may serve me but they are demons and would turn on me in an instant if they had not been bound so long ago."

Makaelthos raised an eyebrow. "They are your tomb guardians, correct?" He asked. "There are no other places to find an isis save for the tomb of Osiris."

Osiris's fists clenched. "They are more than just guardians! They are…a gift."

Makaelthos kept his guard up. While he had the feeling that Osiris was not the type to attack without reason. The power of an immortal could never be underestimated. "A gift?" He asked. "What are you talking about?"

Osiris' fist unclenched. "Of course you don't know, despite you being Solcry you still see me as nothing more than an undead abomination. I was once alive you know!"

Makaelthos's eyes narrowed. That was twice that Osiris reacted to his name now. "What do you mean by "despite me being Solcry"?" He asked. "What do you know of my family?"

Osiris approached Makaelthos slowly. "I know much more about your family than you could even dream of, Makaelthos Solcry." He answered. As for your original question, the isis were a gift from my wife. The last gift made to me before I died. To think they have been reduced to mere servitude for mortals who have neither idea nor respect for their origins!"

Osiris drew himself to full height and stared at Makaelthos. "You have the same eyes." He went on. "One thousand years have passed since I last saw her and yet you, despite having been removed by so many generations, still inherit those eyes."

Makaelthos stared incredulously at Osiris. "What are you saying?"

Osiris turned away and left. "There's no need to tell you more, Solcry. Whether you find out or not is of no consequence." With that, he disappeared into the night.

Makaelthos sheathed his weapon went on his way. There was something about the mummy's words that made him feel uneasy about himself. It was certainly strange that Osiris would take a close interest in his family.

* * *

"So how come you didn't tell him everything, Osiris?" The doppelganger asked. He watched his partner curiously. It had been several days since they were forced to remain inside Prontera. The orcish immortals, as well as the Goblin King, the Panzer Goblin and Werewolf had surrounded the capital in a living hedge of minions. He did not mind though. He was fascinated by the variety of people living inside the capital of Rune-Midgard. As a result, he was never bored. Osiris, on the other hand, was busy finding out more about the crusader who was responsible for Drake's destruction.

"There is no need to tell that man, doppelganger." Osiris replied dourly. There was a rumble in his voice that told the doppelganger that the conversation was unwelcome.

The blond swordsman laughed. "Well you've already hinted some tidbits of his past anyway." He continued. "Why not tell him that he's a descendant of your son, Re-Horakhty "The Sole Cry"?"

Osiris stared at the Pronteran Cathedral. The doppelganger was telling the truth. He knew without doubt that this Makaelthos Solcry was probably the last living descendant of his son, Horus, who was also called Re-Horakhty by his peers. He clenched his fists again. Even though he had died long before his wife, Isis, his spirit was kept bound within his undead form. He endured more than a thousand years of separation from his wife, who was patiently waiting for him in the next world. The war had at last given him his chance. The doppelganger had mentioned of a way for him to finally join his wife and sons in the afterlife. In order to do so, he had to survive what the shadowy immortal could only call "Crimson Twilight". "Now is not the time to tell him." He answered. " Even someone as dense as you can sense why, doppelganger!"

The doppelganger snorted and wrinkled his nose. "You mean the presence of The Dark Lord? Yeah, I feel it! Smell it too. Or it could be those rotten eggs that innkeeper over there threw out."

The two immortals stared at the Pronteran Cathedral. The Dark Lord was lurking somewhere in Prontera. Both of them knew of the great evil he could carry out.

"So do you know what he wants from that place, Osiris?" The doppelganger asked.

Osiris shook his head. "Abraxil Sovivor was a high priest during the final days of Glastheim." He answered. "Perhaps it is revenge but he is among the most cunning of immortals. There will be more to that."

The doppelganger shrugged his shoulders. "We can handle him. But tell me, Osiris. Why are your descendants called Solcry?"

Osiris' eyes narrowed. He hated talking about his past. Still, he knew that the doppelganger would not leave him alone if he refused to answer. "When I finally died, I was meant to go to the afterlife as all souls do." He began. "One of my sons, Anubis, along with the other priests, on the other hand, wanted me to continue ruling. They developed a way to resurrect me, using powerful Glastheimian spells. With Isis still grieving for me, it was my other son, Horus, who spoke against the plan. I was with him when he spoke against the Church. No one listened to him. The citizens of Morroc jokingly referred to him as "The Sole Cry" against the plans to bring me back. The priests continued their plans-"

The doppelganger smiled and finished the familiar story. "-and the spell went crazy; turning you into a really awesome immortal instead In the meantime, it looks like the term "Sole Cry" stuck to your son; eventually turning to "Solcry". That is, before the Imperial Moroccan council banished him on the grounds of sabotaging the spell; stripping him of his right to succeed you and blotting out his place in history. But you don't seem to be too happy about being immortal, Osiris."

The mummy glared at the doppelganger for making him tell an unnecessary story. "That's because I'm not!" He growled. "I miss my family, doppelganger! Every time I see the snake demons they named after my wife, I think of what it would have been like if I wasn't trapped in this form!"

The doppelganger raised his hands. "Whoa! Easy there, Osiris! Like I said there's a way for you to give up your immortality but we have to wait for this "Crimson Twilight" thing!"

Osiris brooded silently. The doppelganger had explained that "Crimson Twilight" would only take place after a majority of the immortals have killed each other. There was so much fighting to do before he could reach that stage. In the meantime, he was constantly reminded of his family by the crusader, Makaelthos. "Let us go to the Pronteran Cathedral then. We may yet catch the Dark Lord off guard."

* * *

Makaelthos's pace slowed as he walked towards the Cathedral. He had gotten to thinking about his encounter with Osiris. 'Osiris was about to say something but, for some reason, he decided against it.' He thought. 'And what did he mean by "her"? Was he talking about his wife?'

Makaelthos knew a few things about ancient Moroccan Empire history. The wife of Osiris was a powerful high priestess named Isis. When the empire was attacked by the snake demons summoned by Osiris' jealous brother, Set, it was Isis who bound them with powerful magic to her will. These demons were later to become the guardians of Osiris' tomb; they were called "isis" after the high priestess.

'He makes it sound like I was descended from Isis herself.' He thought. 'But that's impossible! That would make him my ancestor. Besides, Osiris only had one son, and from a different mother of all people.'

Makaelthos continued recalling what he knew of Moroccan Imperial History. The lone son of Osiris was a priest named Anubis, who was the son of Nephthys. What he found strange was that Nephthys was Osiris's sister-in-law. He was tempted to ask the mummy about these things but decided against it. Osiris may be less inclined to slay mortals like the other immortals but he was still unpredictable. Makaelthos would not ask such a probing personal question to a living mortal let alone an undead immortal.

The air around him suddenly grew thick and heavy. Alarmed, he drew his saber and looked around. The shadows were suddenly much darker and he felt as if he was inside a tightly enclosed tomb. There was a damp, musty stench around the air that reminded him of a mud-covered charnel pit. There was something in heading towards him; taking shelter in the blot of unnatural darkness he found himself in. The nearby ruwachs of the street had been suppressed.

"Hold, crusader." A grating voice several feet in front of him spoke. It sounded like a pair of dry pieces of wood rubbing against each other.

In response, Makaelthos raised his saber and concentrated; banishing the unnatural darkness. Though the area remained dim, he could now see well enough to see what was ahead. He looked up to see who had spoken.

In front of Makaelthos floated a pair desiccated corpses. They were practically skeletons with a thin layer of dried flesh stretched out across them like a morbid kite. Their lower jaws hung loosely from their skulls through a thin cord of muscle. He recognized the smell of grave soil, the wooden crosses strapped to their backs and the blood-stained, rotting, scarlet garments they wore.

"We will not allow you to interfere with our lord's plans." The lead corpse spoke. Its mouth did not move as the words left its rotted throat.

Makaelthos kept his saber up. The glimmering white light on its edge intensified until it was a glowing shaft of brightness. He had encountered these things before; many times during his expeditions to Glastheim, the lowest levels of the coal mines and, strangely enough, in the caves of Payon. "I don't know how you evil druids entered this city." He said. "But I'm going to purify it of your presence nonetheless!"

Makaelthos charged and ducked the first evil druid's blow. The frail arm that the evil druids swung didn't look like it could even knock down a child but a touch from the horrid things could turn flesh into crumbling stone. They didn't affect metal or anything not alive though. He slashed vertically at the undead monster's chest and followed it up with a horizontal one. He stepped back before the creature could recover and whispered a quick prayer. The cross-shaped wound on the creature's chest exploded with brilliant white light. He deflected the strike of the second evil druid even as the first floated slowly backwards in agony; a cross-shaped burn on its chest. Even in the thick of combat, Makaelthos was analyzing the situation. Something about what these creatures said piqued his interest. 'What lord are they talking about?' He thought. 'They don't mean the Dark Lord do they?'

Realization dawned on Makaelthos. 'They're too near the Cathedral! That means the Dark Lord is there!' He concluded. He sidestepped another swing from the evil druid's desiccated arms, at the same time he positioned himself between the two monsters.

'I have to get to the cathedral!'

Makaelthos plunged his saber to the ground. Holy energy exploded from his being; forming a massive, cross-shaped explosion that brightened everything around him with the strength of daylight. The creatures howled as the silent explosion engulfed them. When the blast disappeared, there was nothing left of them but clumps of dust. Without inspecting the remains, he rushed towards the cathedral.

'I hope I'm not too late.'

Makaelthos finally reached the Cathedral. He got there in time to see an enormous, flaming boulder break through the roof of the cathedral and explode within the building. From the looks of the threshold alone, he feared that he was already too late. The bodies of priests lay scattered across the stairs like fallen leaves. Their faces were twisted into expressions of pure horror. He ran past the open double doors that led to the main ceremonial chamber.

He had arrived just in time to see the Dark Lord's skeletal hands close in on Silmeia.

* * *

**World notes**

**Evil Druids** – Evil druids are the undead remains of the priests of the ancient glastheimian church who failed their initiation into becoming high priests during the later period of Glastheim. The enormous crosses strapped to the backs of their corpses as signs of their being weighed down to the earth before they were thrown into a great charnel pit. During the Dark Lord's rise, necrotic energies seeped into the soil of this pit and imbued the buried corpses with false life and an affinity for earth, including the ability to turn living flesh into crumbling stone.

**Armlet of Obedience** – these work almost identically as Silver Knives of Chastity but are made from select scales taken from, at least, ten isis. Isis slaves, due to their less attractive appearances and greater food requirements, often fetch lower prices than sohee slaves.


	30. Treacherous innocence

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 28: Treacherous innocence**

"It's great that we can all get together for a drink once for a while!" Kreizen Xalascent said to his sister. "It's been a long time since we all got together. Too bad it has to be during this problem." He grinned as he walked back to his shop. For tonight, he was not worrying about the outcome of any war or duel. All he focused on was enjoying the company of his friends and his younger sister.

"You're acting like you spent the entire day partying with our friends, brother." Seihanine answered. Her tone was chilly; the exact opposite of her brother's affectionate words. "Have you already forgotten this afternoon's battle?"

Seihanine did not think the same way as her older brother. Unlike him, she focused on the future battles they were bound to have. As a result, she was often serious and grim. Others would be put off by such an attitude; even Trenzein and especially Eliarainne. Her older brother did not mind it in the least. Kreizen grinned at his sister. They were siblings. Cold or not, it was enough reason for him to be affectionate. Seihanine would often mope about every little detail and she was terrible at conversations but Kreizen understood why this was so and would not have changed his affection towards her even if he didn't. "Well, I suppose in a way we did spend the afternoon in some form of party, Sei!" He answered.

Seihanine frowned at her brother's remark. She sometimes found that attitude of his extremely annoying. She had been worried when he locked blades with the ferocious Orc Hero. While she maintained a calm exterior in battle, she was frantic when Kreizen was at a disadvantage against the powerful immortal. Now he dismissed it as if it was nothing! "Party?" She retorted. "We lost plenty of allies in the last battle, Reiz! I don't think we simply "partied" as you and Zein would like to call it."

Kreizen shook his head slowly. "I acknowledge the fallen in my own way, Sei." He answered. "I'm sure Zein feels the same way as I do. The dead won't rise if you worry enough about them. I like to focus on what I have now. Sure tomorrow's probably another slaughter of a battle but that only makes these brief moments of peace all the more precious to me."

Seihanine watched her brother curiously. At times she often disapproved of his constant optimism. She just felt that there were times when you couldn't hope for the best no matter what you did. But there were times when she also appreciated it. Few things ever got him down for long and it only gave her even more reason to fight harder. "Do as you like then, brother." She sighed. "I know there's no point for me to try and convince you otherwise."

Kreizen was about to reply when he was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Welcome back, Mister Kreizen!"

Kreizen found the girl he had helped before; the one called Moonlight, standing by their doorstep. Seihanine's eyes narrowed in suspicion. She still did not trust this girl. "Moonlight! You're still awake?" Kreizen asked.

Moonlight bowed politely to the two Xalascents; a Payonese custom, Seihanine observed. "I couldn't sleep really." She replied. "So I decided to wait for you instead!"

Kreizen laughed and ruffled the girl's short, blond hair with one hand. Moonlight smiled and blushed at his gesture. "That's so nice of you, Moonlight." He said. "So how are you doing? Remember anything so far?"

Moonlight's face saddened. "Not much…everything is so fuzzy and, when I try to remember, everything just goes blank and my head just starts to hurt."

Kreizen's eyebrows furrowed in concern as he laid a hand on the Moonlight's shoulder. "Don't force yourself." He told her. "It will come back eventually. In the meantime, you can stay here as long as you like. It's probably safer too, with this orcish siege and all."

Moonlight grasped Kreizen's hand tightly. Her lips quivered a bit at his words as Seihanine noticed with irritation. "Thank you, Mister Kreizen." She told him. Seihanine nearly rolled her eyes.

Kreizen grinned in embarrassment. "Don't mention it!" He said. "Just being helpful!"

Seihanine frowned at her older brother. Kalyx was gripping her shoulder tightly. Something about the girl was agitating the falcon and she didn't like it. 'And making a gullible fool of yourself while doing so, brother.' She thought. She made her way to her room. Much to her annoyance, she realized that Moonlight had been sleeping in it recently. The sheets were completely messed up and one pillow had fallen to the floor. Either Moonlight had taken to jumping up and down the bed or she was an incredibly turbulent sleeper. 'Great…Looks like I'm sleeping by the walls as usual.' Seihanine thought.

Seihanine turned around and found that Kreizen was right behind her. He smiled apologetically at seeing her bed. "I'll sleep by the forging bench, Sei." He offered. "You can sleep in my bed. Try to be nice to Moonlight."

Seihanine waved a hand to dismiss the gesture. "Your bed smells perpetually of forging oil and star crumbs, Reiz! I'll wake up smelling like that."

Kreizen grinned and nudged Seihanine. Like Trenzein, he derived some pleasure in teasing his often moody sister. "I'm sure Zein won't mind!" He said. He laughed to see a very faint hint of color rise to his sister's face.

Seihanine nudged her brother sharply with her elbow; making him rub his ribs painfully. "Not funny, Reiz!" She groused and then stalked out of the house.

Moonlight stared at Seihanine frightfully as she left. The huntress seemed so…hostile and her falcon was even worse. Suddenly, a searing pain in her head caused her to reel. She clutched her head painfully; it was as if something was forcing itself into her mind.

Kreizen noticed Moonlight's pain quickly. "Moonlight! Are you alright?" He asked worriedly.

The girl suddenly stopped and smiled. "I'm alright now, Mister Kreizen." She replied. "Just a dizzy spell."

Kreizen sighed in relief. "That's good. Go to sleep, Moonlight."

Moonlight edged towards the door. "Umm…could I talk to your sister first, Mister Kreizen?" She asked.

Kreizen raised an eyebrow. "You want to talk to Sei? She won't say much to you." He warned her.

Moonlight smiled again. "I just want to say something to her."

Kreizen shrugged his shoulders. A lot of people had tried making friends with his sister before and each time he wished them the best of luck even as he waited for the inevitable and cold rebuff they would receive. It didn't matter if it was a man or a woman, a suitor or just someone wanting to make more friends. "You'd better hurry to catch up then."

The girl rushed out the door.

* * *

Seihanine made her way to the outer walls. It had been a trying day for her. With Trenzein courting disaster with his recklessness and Kreizen blindly trusting some girl he found in the middle of Prontera. Every instinct inside her screamed that something was…wrong with that girl. To be named "Moonlight" of all things...it just couldn't be mere coincidence. Suddenly, several distant explosions caught her attention. 'That came from the cathedral!' She thought in alarm. 'What's going on?'

"Umm…Miss Seihanine?" A familiar voice spoke from behind her.

Seihanine turned around when she heard her name and ended up facing Moonlight. "You…why did you follow me?" She asked. She dearly hoped this wasn't some attempt to win her over as many of the people Kreizen associated with had tried in the past. She didn't have time for this. The cathedral could be under attack.

Moonlight cringed at the harsh questioning. "I just…I just-"

Kalyx screeched at the girl and flapped his wings. Suddenly the girl stood completely still. When she did speak, it wasn't the high-pitched tone of a little girl. Moonlight spoke with a soft, hissing, rasping menace.

"I just want you to shut that bird up!"

Moonlight focused her gaze at the falcon. Seihanine noticed the sudden malevolence that lit the girl's eyes. Instead of the soft, red eyes she saw earlier, Seihanine saw the golden, cat-like eyes of Moonlight Flower. The girl raised a hand. Before Seihanine could react, an invisible force struck Kalyx with the force of a blow. The falcon screeched and fell to the ground.

"Kalyx!" Seihanine checked her falcon for signs of life. To her relief, Kalyx was merely unconscious. She turned to face her spell-casting opponent. An aura of power surrounded Moonlight. An unnatural breeze swirled the borrowed shirt she had on. The street they were in was deserted; ensuring that the battle would only be between them. Seihanine pointed an arrow at the girl, who sneered at her.

"You dare raise a weapon against an immortal?" Moonlight snarled. "Fine! I will destroy you anyway, so I might as well have a bit of exercise!" The immortal charged with his "bell-stick" in his hands.

Seihanine released the arrow; her hands already taking another one from her quiver. As she anticipated, Moonlight easily dodged it. "What do you want from my brother, Moonlight?" She asked.

The immortal laughed ."That foolish blacksmith?" He answered. "I could have killed him so many times from the way he trusts me now!" He brought his weapon down at the Seihanine. Despite the bell's fragile appearance, it was more powerful than the strongest hammer a mortal could ever forge.

Seihanine jumped back in time to evade the blow. The bell smashed into the stone pavement; cracking the ground where the blow landed. A solid blow from it would likely shatter her bones on impact yet this immortal was swinging it about like a child's toy despite having the body of a young girl.

Moonlight laughed again and took a step back as well. Before Seihanine could react, he pointed a finger at her; freezing air from all around them and hurling the sharpened, icy shards straight at her.

Seihanine avoided several of the shards as they flew at her. A few of them managed to graze her on the shoulders and legs. There was little pain, only numbness and the knowledge that she had been cut. She fired another arrow at Moonlight, who ducked it. "So what's your true purpose here then, Moonlight?" She asked.

Moonlight Flower twirled his bell-stick like a quarter staff. This huntress was going to be dead soon enough anyway and his plans wouldn't be unhinged even if she did know. "My original purpose here was to thwart Osiris' plans by exposing him." He said. "But with the orc tribes keeping the majority of your citizens too worried to notice our presence. All I have to do now is eliminate the alert ones and my cover will be perfect."

Seihanine drew another arrow from her quiver. "Alert ones" right now certainly meant her. "Then why do you spare my brother?" She asked.

Moonlight scowled in response. The demanding tone in the huntress's questions was starting to get annoying. "You're asking too many questions for someone about to die, woman!" He snarled.

A jet of ice streaked towards Seihanine. She managed to jump aside but Moonlight had anticipated her move. The bell stick's butt end struck her on the cheek. She staggered back as Moonlight caused several shards of light to streak towards her. The shards struck her with the force of hurled stones, knocking the breath from her lungs and forcing her to the ground. The "bell-stick" was quick to descend on her head.

"What the-?" Moonlight suddenly cried out. He stopped in the middle of his attack as if he was being restrained.

Seihanine backed away from the immortal and stared at him incredulously. Moonlight tried to land his blow but it was as if his arms were suddenly frozen. "No! I am in control!" He shouted at some unseen person. "How dare you-!"

The bell stick suddenly lashed forward; its end catching Seihanine on the face. She fell heavily to the ground but, even as she struggled to stand up, she felt the presence of Moonlight Flower vanish.

"Miss Seihanine! Are you alright?"

Seihanine suddenly looked up at her foe. While she could not feel Moonlight Flower's presence, his physical, female body was still in front of her. She stood up and wiped the blood from the cut on her lip. Her cheek was already starting to swell. She continued to stare warily at the girl before her. "You…you're Moonlight Flower aren't you?" She asked the girl.

Moonlight's eyes widened in surprise. "Moonlight Flower?" She answered incredulously. "I can't be! I'm just a girl named Moonlight!"

Seihanine pointed her gakkung at the girl. Moonlight immediately cringed and put her arms up to protect herself. Kalyx finally woke up and squawked viciously at the blond girl. Moonlight's irises had turned red once more and no longer shone with malevolence. Seihanine lowered her bow; somehow she felt that this was not Moonlight Flower.

"How did I get here?" Moonlight asked. "Where's Mister Kreizen?"

Seihanine was about to answer when she caught sight of something terrible.

The Pronteran Cathedral, the largest building in the entire city except for the royal palace, burned a bright orange; lighting the sky like a small, flickering sun. Some of its spires had collapsed in the blaze. Enormous clouds of black smoke rose to the night sky; blotting out the stars.

Seihanine started to run for the cathedral when she remembered Moonlight. She stopped and stared at the girl indecisively. She knew that, somehow, this girl was Moonlight Flower and at the same time she was someone else. She couldn't trust her around Kreizen as she might become Moonlight Flower again but she couldn't just leave her to get lost in the city. "Moonlight! Go back to the house and tell my brother to hurry towards the cathedral!" With that, Seihanine ran ahead. Kalyx soared above them; scouting for any danger. She decided to keep the girl in their house for a while. There was something that was preventing Moonlight Flower from harming Kreizen in the first place. It was probably the reason that the immortal refused to answer her question when he was forthcoming with everything else. 'I'll have to trust Kreizen to handle himself.' She reasoned.

Seihanine kept running.

* * *

Kreizen Xalascent stood in front of his shop's door. He had decided to wait until Moonlight made it back. It was strange that the girl was taking a bit too long. Could it be that Seihanine had not coldly rebuffed her attempt at friendship? Kreizen's thoughts strayed a bit from how his sister saw the girl to how he did. While he considered the girl to be too young, he had to admit that she was quite pretty. Her hair felt very soft to touch and he liked the feel of it. The way she smiled and blushed at his slightest gesture was amusing and it certainly warmed his heart.

"Mister Kreizen!"

Moonlight ran towards the house at such speed that she found it difficult to stop. She was about to crash into Kreizen when he grabbed her by the shoulders to steady her. "Whoa, easy there Moonlight! What's wrong?" He asked.

Moonlight struggled to catch her breath. "Miss Seihanine says you should hurry to the cathedral!"

Kreizen's expression grew serious. "Alright, stay inside the house and lock the doors!" He told the girl. He grabbed his two-handed axe and rushed to the cathedral. Seihanine would never tell him to hurry if it wasn't an emergency. 'Now there are battles inside and outside the walls.' He thought 'Is there no more peace in Prontera?' The moment he stepped out of the house though he immediately saw the reason why he should hurry. 'The cathedral! Damn it, Silmeia's in there!'

Kreizen ran as fast as he could. Despite himself, he had a black feeling that, no matter how he hurried, it would already be too late.


	31. Faith

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 29: Faith**

Though she was the last to arrive among the companions, Silmeia Cafilence was the first to stand up and leave. "I'm sorry but I have to go." she told her friends. "I still have to attend a High Mass at the Pronteran Cathedral."

While she wanted to stay and talk with her friends some more, Silmeia knew that her duties to the Church came first. Besides, the High Mass served two purposes; both which she felt she should take part in. The mass was meant for the souls of those who fell and would fall in the war against the orc tribes as well as for a swift ending to the war; ensuring that peace would return to Prontera.

Silmeia's pace slowed as she remembered the previous battle with the orcs. While the army had won the day, she felt the burden of loss weigh heavily against her conscience. Eliarainne, Trenzein and Kreizen could talk heartily about the day's battle but she couldn't. It was a difference of perspective; the three of them fought the enemy while she tended to their allies. Like Makaelthos and Seihanine, Silmeia saw no "enjoyment" in battle. Makaelthos saw a task to be finished as quickly and efficiently as possible while the only thing Seihanine seemed to care about was that her often reckless brother, as well as Trenzein, had not gotten killed. Silmeia saw the injured, the dying and the dead. Eliarainne might remember a victory over a strong opponent but she remembered the times when someone died right before she could finish the prayer for a healing spell.

Silmeia clenched her hands tightly. They were still trembling from exertion. It was all she could do not to drop her glass in the tavern and raise more concern from her friends. Every time the Second Priest Division failed to keep its charges alive, she felt responsible for their deaths as the Head Priestess. She took it upon herself to stay and tend to the wounded after the battle, which was usually assigned to the acolytes of her division as they were not allowed to go out and heal during a battle.

"_I will fight by your side to protect you, priestess."_

Silmeia stopped as Sir Agranias's words of assurance echoed in her mind. It puzzled her that she was thinking of Agranias so much these days. She hated the idea of being venerated as if she was some sort of living saint or a fragile piece of crystal. Men were so quick to make grand gestures supposedly to show how much they cared even as they didn't care that she would be partially at fault if they, as Seihanine once put it, mauled themselves with their own idiocy. Agranias had made no grand promises. He had said the words quietly and sincerely.

During the battle she often looked out to where he was just to make sure he was still alive. Not only did he survive the battle but he did so without as much as a scratch. Throughout the entire battle, he did not ride back to her division for healing and support. He was always at the front; ensuring that no high orc reached her division.

Silmeia suddenly found herself remembering how he fought; a welcome change from the images of bleeding knights and severed limbs. Agranias didn't work himself into a rage like Eliarainne or Kreizen and he didn't throw himself into battle as if he needed to kill as many enemies as possible to gain her admiration. He had nothing to prove and did not relish fighting. Instead, he carefully pressed forward; letting his enemies beat uselessly against his defense while he cut down two or three orcs with each massive swing of his sword. On top of his pecopeco, an enormous bird that dwarfed even Eliarainne's mount, Bristle, he was easily the largest sight in the battlefield. Yet he wasn't ponderous or clumsy as big knights like Sir Gardzen tended to be. There was a grace to his movements, not the grace of a "prancing pretty boy" as this grace was tempered with his physical might.

For a moment Silmeia could almost see an inkling of what Eliarainne saw in battle. The moment passed quickly though. She was approaching the grand building of the Pronteran Cathedral. Even from afar, obscured by the darkness of night, the sight of the Church's center in Prontera never failed to impress her. It served as the seat of the Council of Cardinals and its four great spires marked where Prontera was from miles away.

The enormous double doors, big enough to dwarf even Agranias, were wide open to the people of Prontera. They were made of white wood taken from the northern forests near Al de baran; polished and smoothened until they looked and felt like ivory and then reinforced with steel for strength. The doors were carved so that, when closed, they showed the symbol of the Pronteran Church; an equilateral cross with an eight-rayed sun blazing from its center. Gold plating further enhanced the design.

Massive pillars of white stone, seven on either side, flanked the doors and extended well over a hundred feet to support the great threshold to the cathedral. Each pillar was carved so that between its base and its top stood a great, armored crusader of noble bearing making it appear as if these great people supported the Church on the shoulders. No two carvings appeared alike and both male and female figures appeared in the design.

Silmeia stepped into the threshold and then past the great doors into the cathedral itself. The inside of the structure was an awe-inspiring sight. Hundreds of pews, enough to hold every citizen of Prontera, circled a massive altar at the center. Great archways and slimmer pillars supported the ceiling. Light filtered into the building through massive stained-glass windows. Grand tapestries adorned the walls, each one depicting a holy event in Rune-Midgard's history; from Champion Osiris wrestling the six-armed queen of the isis and Horus founding the order of crusaders to the funeral of Lady Anixima, heroine of the War of Magic.

The statues and tapestries were each worth a small fortune, not just because of the material used but also because of their history. Many of them were made during the age of the Morrocan Empire. Indeed, the cathedral was a repository of many relics from that bygone period. Despite the great accumulated wealth in the cathedral, it had never been robbed in its nearly a thousand year history. Crusaders patrolled its perimeter and guarded its doors, arresting would be robbers and turning them in to the regular army. That fate was a mercy compared to what a rogue expected within the cathedral itself. Monks stalked the halls of the cathedral, making themselves as inconspicuous as possible. They killed robbers on sight and their martial training let them do it with practiced ease and violence.

Hundreds of priests, both from the Church and the regular army, were already seated and hundreds more were walking in along with Silmeia. She recognized one of them; Sixth Head Priest Gadian Ilderin, as he walked towards her. A friendly smile creased his face. "It's nice to see you again, Priestess Silmeia." he greeted her. "It's been a while."

Silmeia smiled and nodded in response. Around half of the Council of Cardinals was present so far. It wouldn't be long until the High Mass begun. Gadian was with the other Head Priests of Prontera's various priest divisions.

Though every priest respected each other as a vital member of the Church, it was often that the priests that were part of the regular army and the priests who stayed within the Church hierarchy formed distinct groups when socializing. More than a few army priests found their Church hierarchy counterparts ill-equipped to deal with real life situations and some Church hierarchy priests believed that army priests irreverently saw their gifts of healing and protection as just another tool for a soldier.

One of the Head Priests suddenly pointed at the cathedral's entrance. "Isn't that the black-armored knight we saw with the Second Division earlier?" he asked.

Silmeia followed the priests' stares. Sure enough, Sir Agranias stood by the cathedral's entrance. He was staring at the altar; completely unmindful of the stares and murmurs he drew from the surrounding priests. Suddenly, as if he felt her eyes on him, Agranias looked straight at Silmeia. He didn't say a word or raise a hand to catch her attention but simply dipped his head a little and tried to make himself less conspicuous; a difficult task for someone of his size.

The Head Priest of the First Priest Division turned to face Silmeia. "Is he another one of your admirers, Second Head Priestess?" he asked good-naturedly. A knight or two by the entrance during a High Mass always had something to do with Head Priestess Silmeia. A few of the stuffy old priests from the Church hierarchy disapproved of such "shameless flirting" but most of the army priests thought it was amusing. More than a few of them could relate with those knights.

Silmeia shook her head while other Head Priests chuckled among themselves.

"Well, he's more persistent than the other ones. He even came to a high mass just to watch her!"

"I think he's far better than that brutish dolt, Gardzen. Not a bad-looking fellow, I'll say!"

"Well, by the looks of him it looks like Silmeia's caught his attention completely!"

* * *

While the other head priests chuckled and commented, Gadian Ilderin quietly stared at Silmeia and then at Sir Agranias. Unlike the other Head Priests, he did not enjoy poking fun at Second Head Priestess Silmeia Cafilence. True, he himself found some amusement at the strange things that happened around her but, most of the time, he just felt sorry for her. She clearly didn't like being showered with so much attention. "Everyone, stop that." he interrupted. "The High Mass is about to begin."

The other priests stared at Gadian and laughed good-naturedly. "You've seen a lot of Silmeia's admirers, Gadian." one of them asked. "What do you think of this one?"

Gadian kept his gaze on Agranias a little longer before turning to face Silmeia. Unlike the other admirers, this Sir Agranias did not look at her lustfully nor did he try to catch her , his discretion and subtlety were mired by his enormous size and strange armor. This Sir Agranias also seemed to be able to carry himself straight; almost as if he was born with a sword up his back and he didn't have a bored or sleepy look on his face despite the lateness of the High Mass.

The strangeness wasn't limited to Sir Agranias as well. For the first time, Silmeia seemed…interested in an admirer. She had never even bothered to look at Gardzen and his ilk. Gadian wasn't rash enough to think that she had fallen in love already but this was certainly a change for her. "Such matters are not appropriate things to discuss inside church, colleagues of mine." aas all he cared to say to the other Head Priests. "Let us take our places; the entire council is here."

The other priests agreed and began to take their places. Gadian kept his voice at a whisper's level as he passed Silmeia. "Although I think he's caught our esteemed priestess's attention just as surely as she's caught his." he said.

Silmeia did not seem to hear him, though. Gadian noticed a strange expression in her eyes and decided to drop the matter. There were far greater concerns besides the love life of one priestess. There was another thing that intrigued him and that was the presence of a priest he had never seen before. The other priests did not seem to notice him but he was clearly not from the regular army priests.

Gadian stared at the man's cold expression. The priest's eyes seemed black from a distance so much that he looked eyeless. His short, oily, black hair was carefully swept back to touch the nape of his neck. He was thin, which was even more obvious because he was also quite tall. His high cheekbones were too prominent and his deep eye sockets were too visible. It was as if his skin, pale as death as it was, had been stretched over his bones. The man's robes were also a curiosity. Most priests wore the usual black and red robes they were given during their ordination. Adding to that outfit was frowned upon, especially by the cardinals, as being vain. This priest's robes had strange, spidery designs running up and down the gold trim of his robes. They looked like alien letters but, when Gadian concentrated on them, they seemed to play tricks on his eyes so that they appeared to dance about as if the man was crawling with spiders. Shaking his head and dismissing his strange concerns as fatigue, Gadian took his own advice and headed for his place. The High Mass was starting.

* * *

Silmeia took one last glance at Agranias before taking her place. She had not expected him to watch over her even during a High Mass. A lot of men followed her while she did her duties and a few even became reckless in combat training so they could ask for healing. Silmeia tolerated most such antics and let Eliarainne or Makaelthos punish those that she couldn't. Still, no one had ever watched her during a High Mass. Kreizen had tried it once a few years back. He was respectful enough but halfway through the mass, he had fallen asleep and his snores forced her to excuse herself before her fellows and then escort him out before he disturbed the mass.

"_To protect you of course."_

Silmeia shook her head to clear it of thoughts. Now wasn't the time to think of Agranias. 'Why should he protect me?' she couldn't help but ask herself. 'I should be the one protecting the others.'

Silmeia concentrated on the altar. The High Mass was starting with the gathering of the esteemed Council of Cardinals. This high-ranking group of twelve priests and priestesses were part of the Church's highest authority. Presiding over them was the High Cardinal, making him the leader of the entire Pronteran Church. While, from behind, some priests and priestesses called them "old fashioned, dried up priests", their presence commanded silent respect. Unlike most priests, the cardinals wore white and red robes, trimmed with gold borders to show their ranking. Most of them were indeed old; Silmeia could only guess that they were, at least, in their eighties.

"My dear brothers and sisters of the Church of Prontera."

The leader of the council of cardinals addressed everyone inside the cathedral; which included almost every priest and priestess inside Prontera. After a short and formal statement of intentions for the High Mass. The High Cardinal led the cathedral into the first prayer. Silmeia listened to the steady litanies; reciting them in her mind and making the words her own in her heart. Along with everyone in the cathedral, she responded alertly during the responsorial and then listened reverently when the Church-appointed bards played hymns of glorification and supplication.

Midway during the High Mass was a sermon from the High Cardinal. His voice was old and tired but it carried to each person inside the cathedral. "This attack upon our city has brought with it yet more trials for our Church. We-!" Only a few minutes into his sermon, the High Cardinal suddenly fell silent. At first the priestly audience merely shifted uncomfortably in their seats, unaware of what was going on. Eve the Council of Cardinals seemed perplexed. When the High Cardinal suddenly grasped the edges of the podium in front of him, several of the cardinals stood up in alarm to see what was wrong.

The rest of the priesthood watched the High Cardinal in horror and concern as he suddenly clutched his chest. That was when they heard a faint thump from the High Cardinal's place. It sounded like someone loudly striking a person on the chest with a fist. It sounded again and the High Cardinal lurched forward; leaning heavily on the heavy wooden podium. Two cardinals assisted him; softly chanting healing prayers while they tried to get him to sit down.

It sounded again; louder this time. Silmeia and the rest of the priests followed the sound this time. It was coming from the High Cardinal. That was when they realized that it sounded like a heartbeat, a very loud and heavy heartbeat. The High Cardinal clutched his chest and cried out but all that came out of his throat was a muffled groan. The beating grew louder and faster and the old man at the center of the cathedral convulsed causing many of the priests to cry out in panic.

The entire council was surrounding the High Cardinal now; each one casting his or her strongest healing spell. "He's not responding!" one of them cried out.

Amidst the panic, though, someone laughed dryly. The sound was so out of place that everyone heard it over the shouts of panic and cries for help. Many priests turned towards the sound.

"So much for your little prayer!" someone spoke out loud.

Dry, mocking laughter suddenly echoed inside the cathedral. More priests turned towards the source indignantly. It was the priest in strange, gold-trimmed robes; his laughter echoed derisively. Silmeia stood up; angry, confused and panicked all at once. There was something familiar about this man.

"The Church is weak!" The mocking priest declared. "It fails to save the lives of those it is meant to protect and now it whines before God to do the protecting for them!"

The other priests glared at the man. A few of them brought out their weapons.

"Blasphemy!" someone from the Church hierarchy priests bellowed. "Who are you, priest?"

"He insults the Church!" Another one cried.

The man walked towards the altar and raised his hand in a gesture similar to a priestly benediction. To everyone's horror, the High Cardinal gasped horribly; heaving one last time before his chest exploded, Blood spattered all over the altar and the other cardinals. A dark, purplish cloud escaped from the gaping hole on his torso and the nearby priests staggered back coughing and retching. Even at a good distance from the altar, Silmeia recoiled from the horrible stench of rotting corpses and moldering vegetation billowing from the altar where the High Cardinal's body lay. The priest held a human heart in his hand; still dripping with blood and smoking with the awful stench. The other cardinals cried in outrage.

"Monster! Who are you?" one of them shouted.

The priest smiled and raised his arms. A black aura of power began to surround him.

"Priestess!" Agranias shouted and then rushed inside the cathedral. His two-handed sword was already in his hand. He stood protectively before Silmeia, placing himself between her and the strange priest.

"Agranias, what's going on?" Silmeia asked. "Do you know that priest?"

Agranias's eyes narrowed as he recognized the man. He had seen him before. It was a long time ago but he recognized the man now as he did back then. He was still wearing the robes of his office as Grand High Priest of Glastheim and the spell he used was a simple cantrip compared to the horrors he had at command. "That is no priest!" he growled. "That is Abraxil Sovivor! The Dark Lord!"

Harsh laughter came from the priest as the other cardinals drew their weapons. Soon he was surrounded by sword maces and chains. He gestured once again before throwing aside the heart he was holding. He seemed to grow until he was as large as Agranias. Slowly, his features seemed to dissipate like smoke; revealing a fleshless, grinning skull. Two horns jutted from the sides of his head; curving downward and towards his empty eye sockets. A mass of animate shadow billowed from his bony shoulders, forming a cape of living darkness behind him. His robes had disappeared; replaced by bone armor etched with elaborate glowing runes. The Dark Lord's towering, sinister figure floated before the Council of Cardinals. Slowly, he turned about to face Agranias. "It's been a long time since someone called me by my mortal name, Sir Agranias." he spoke. "Perhaps you would like me to tell them a little something about yourself this time?"

Agranias pointed his weapon at the skeletal being. "Leave this place, Dark Lord!" he answered. "You have no business here!"

The Dark Lord laughed once again. The chilling laughter seemed to echo throughout the cathedral with the force of several peals of thunder. They made the pillars of the temple shake violently. Several statues fell to the ground, some cracking on impact while others shattered completely. Some of the weaker priests cringed at the sound. "But I do!" he replied. "I have business with the council here."

The Dark Lord turned to face the cardinals. One of them stepped forward bravely and pointed the staff of his office at him. "You defile the house of God, Dark Lord! Begone!" he commanded.

The points of red light that glowed within the Dark Lord's eye sockets flashed briefly. "Be silent, living one!" he answered. "If God can tolerate the presence of you pretentious vermin in his house then he won't mind me!"

The other priests around them began to cast their spells. The cathedral was filled with the chanting of hundreds of healing prayers; all of them directed at the Dark Lord.

The Dark Lord waved his hand at the priests around him. "Cease that noise!" he roared. A wave of darkness suddenly exploded from his outstretched hands; engulfing the nearest priests around him. Their screams were quickly muffled as if the darkness was a gigantic damp blanket smothering them. Healing energy streaked towards him in the form of great bolts of white light but, before any of them could strike, they struck an invisible field of power around him and simply dissipated. The darkness he conjured disappeared as well but the priests it engulfed had vanished; leaving nothing but their smoking, blood-soaked clothes. Silmeia began to chant her own prayer.

"You faithless worms!" the Dark Lord shouted; his taunt creating cracks on the pillars and archways around him. One tapestry was suddenly ripped in half. "How can you call yourselves servants of God?" He gestured; causing a large warp portal to appear before him. "Show me what the Church has become then!"

Before anyone could react, skeletons began pouring forth from the portal. Some of them still had on some strips of clothing, a few were still booted. Many of them carried a pair of daggers, others wielded bows while the others carried a wicked, curved sword in each hand. Other monstrosities emerged from the portal; including the animated bodies of dead orcs and the floating remains of Glastheimian priests.

The priests focused their spells on the outpouring undead. The Dark Lord gestured once again. It wasn't a simple gesture this time. He waved an arm; weaving magical energy and tracing alien symbols in the air. This time the cathedral itself was rocked by a powerful explosion from outside. Silmeia turned to see what was happening.

Meteors were raining down on the cathedral. One enormous boulder of molten rock crashed through the ceiling; tearing a large portion of the roof off as it smashed through a couple of pillars before exploding on the ground. Great gouts of fire followed each boulder as more dropped from the sky. Priests were crushed by the flaming rock or by bits of the roof, others were badly burned as they narrowly avoided being killed. The flaming rocks rolled over the undead as well but their seemed to be no limit to their numbers as they poured from the portal.

The Dark Lord laughed and floated towards the Council of Cardinals. Their healing spells bounced harmlessly against the powerful shield he had set up around himself. "Is this all you can do against the undead?" he mocked. "Show me the wrath of the Church before I slay all of you!"

One cardinal began chanting the required prayer for a Magnus Exorcismus. Before he could finish, the Dark Lord turned his gaze on him. The cardinal gasped and stared at his hands. His flesh melted right off his fingers as liquid rot. His eyes fell out of their sockets and splattered on the marble floor along with the rest of his body. Soon the other cardinals were staring at the gory puddle that was their former colleague. The bones exploded; striking them with flying shards. Blood sprayed all over the main altar. Silmeia made her way over to them. She could not allow the Dark Lord to go on his murderous spree!

Agranias sliced through the mob of skeletons the came his way. The rest of the priests fought valiantly but the undead continued to pour from the portal. Slowly, they were being overwhelmed. 'We have to defeat the Dark Lord or the undead will overrun as all!" he called out to Silmeia. He engaged any undead monster that tried to attack her. Most of them barely got a few feet near her before he cut them down.

"Agranias! Please help the other priests as well!" Silmeia called out to him. It was the same request as before and he nodded his assent.

Silmeia ran towards the altar. The Dark Lord had slain almost everyone in the Council of Cardinals. Agranias kept to her side. The priests were losing; so many of them were already dead. Some were hacked to pieces by berserk skeletons. Others were peppered by arrows or decapitated. The undead continued to emerge from the portal. One meteor broke through the cathedral's roof and struck the main altar. The curtains immediately caught on fire; soon the pews and other wooden objects began to burn, surrounding the Dark Lord with a lurid orange blaze. Agranias pointed his weapon at the Dark Lord once again while Silmeia's hands glowed with holy energy.

The Dark Lord watched the two in amusement. "You would fight me, priestess?" he taunted. "Perhaps you would like to take a look around first!"

Silmeia glanced at the scene behind her. Hundreds of priests lay dead on the ground. The remaining priests were surrounded by an ever-growing horde of the undead. Her eyes narrowed in fury. "Why are you doing this, Dark Lord?" She asked, her voice trembling with growing rage.

The Dark Lord was silent for a while as he stared at Silmeia. The Council of Cardinals had been reduced to mere bloody and charred skeletons behind him. "To show you priests how weak your Church has become for one reason." he answered. "I have one last thing to show but, before that, I'm going to give you this at least."

The Dark Lord spread his arms as if inviting Silmeia to do her worst. Agranias strode forward, his sword catching the lurid red glow of the fire. He was several feet away when the Dark Lord gestured towards him. A ring of darkness surrounded Agranias. Suddenly, he couldn't move. "I have no need of you right now, Captain Agranias. It's your priestess companion who must show me what she can do!" he taunted.

Holy energy surged through Silmeia's arms. "You come here…slaughter all these priests…just to prove something?" she cried.

Silmeia stared at the Dark Lord furiously. The words of a prayer came to her mind. There was no need to chant it, however; the energy was already there. The Dark Lord was suddenly floating over a massive cross of light on the floor. He admired the speed that the priestess had in erecting the powerful holy symbol right under him and the great amount of concentrated holy energy there. "Magnus Exorcismus…a glorious spell developed by the Church to eradicate the enemies of God. To cast it so quickly is proof of your power, priestess but-"

The Dark Lord raised both his arms. Black lightning surged through his skeletal body. Before the Magnus could explode beneath him, he waved his arm. The cross of light vanished without even fizzling.

Silmeia stared in shock at her failed spell. A protest began in her throat but left her lips as a hoarse cry.

The Dark Lord laughed derisively and pointed a skeletal finger at Silmeia. "For more than a thousand years, this body of mine has endured countless Magnus Exorcismuses!" he taunted her. "Did you actually think I would not think of a way to neutralize that attack as soon as I awakened? You fool…I was a priest too. A far greater priest than any of you mortal worms! Face it, Silmeia Cafilence! The power you have gained during your years of sacrifice is nothing!"

Silmeia stared at her hands. The Dark Lord's words struck her harder than any vile spell he could possibly cast. All her sacrifice had been for nothing? The mere thought of it didn't just plunge her into despair; it boiled her blood. She had given much for others and what she had and tried to keep had been taken from her as well. She stared at the Dark Lord, furious at him for telling her and furious at herself for being unable to express that rage.

Agranias struggled to move but the ring held him tightly. Silmeia didn't seem to hear him. She was quivering as she placed her palms together for one more spell. All around her, priests struggled against the undead. "Don't listen to him, priestess!" he shouted at her.

The Dark Lord slowly approached Silmeia. "That's right…frustrating isn't it?" he said. "It's time you got the power you should have for everything you've done. Cast the spell, Silmeia Cafilence. Your true best spell."

The Dark Lord's skeletal hand drew closer to Silmeia. A tiny arc of red lightning sparked from her hands as she slapped his hand away. Something invisible and intangible yet incredibly massive was forming in front of her. The sight of it made him laugh some more.

"Get away from him, Silmeia!" someone shouted from behind them.

The Dark Lord turned to see who had shouted. A crusader stood at the entrance of the church. Immediately the undead closed in on him. Silmeia looked up to see who it was.

"Makaelthos!"

When Silmeia diverted from her anger; the growing energy that she had been unconsciously amassing exploded in a violent blast in front of her. The blast sent her flying towards Agranias's feet where she lay unconscious.

Makaelthos struck the floor with his saber; causing holy energy to explode all around him. The skeletons disintegrated before managing to land as single hit. "Silmeia!" he shouted.

A mounted knight burst into the cathedral and waved her lance about. Soon a large body of knights followed behind her. The Dark Lord raised a hand to deflect a silver-tipped arrow that flew from an azure-haired huntress.

"Interference…very well then!" he declared. "I've accomplished enough!" The Dark Lord slowly dissipated along with the horde of undead. The cathedral was really burning now. Bits of smoldering debris fell from the ceiling.

Agranias broke free from the Dark Lord's spell and rushed over to Silmeia's limp form. Before he could lift the priestess, however, a giant piece of burning debris threatened to fall directly on them. In a burst of speed, Agranias lifted her in his arms and rushed for the exit; narrowly avoiding the cascade of stone and burning wood that filled the spot where he was a few seconds ago.

The surviving priests had left the burning building as well. Eliarainne began shouting orders for the knights to take all the wounded and run. It was only a matter of time before the cathedral collapsed. Agranias managed to run for the exit with Silmeia in his arms. He held the priestess tighter as the last vestiges of the cathedral burned down.

* * *

**World Notes**

**Grand High Priest** – the Grand High Priest (Priestess) was the leader of the Church during the ancient period of Glastheim and was often the most powerful, or at least the most influential, High Priest of his or her time. The Grand High Priest held absolute power over the entire Church including its armed division, the raydric army. The last Grand High Priest of Glastheim was Abraxil Sovivor who was known during his time as "The Dark Lord" for his shadowy reputation.

The Church discarded the title after the fall of Glastheim. High Priestess Isis, the last high priest, refused to have anything to do with the title and instead formed a council to rule the Church. That council later became known as the Council of Cardinals.

**The Dark Lord's spells** – many of the Dark Lord's spells are his unique creations and no lore about them exists in the Church or the Geffen Magic Academy's records.

In game terms – these spells are not based on the Ragnarok Online game.


	32. Light

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 30: Light**

"Nothing…" Silmeia mumbled quietly. The word was drowned out by the sounds of the cathedral burning and collapsing. The double doors of the cathedral came crashing down in a shower of cinders; narrowly missing a pair of knights who were helping some of the surviving priests out of building. Several wizard divisions had been dispatched to control the fire and the quiet Pronteran night had changed into a frantic predawn.

The soldiers of Prontera, knowing that they faced battle the following day, moved quickly and efficiently. They didn't talk among themselves while they put out fires, helped the wounded or carried away the dead. No one wanted the reality to set in yet. No one wanted to think about the terrible loss of the cathedral and everything it meant.

Despite the constant crackle of fires, the crashes of falling rubble and the urgent shouts from the soldiers, Agranias heard the priestess nonetheless. Thinking that she was starting to stir after being knocked out by the strange explosion of red lightning; he set her down gently. She wasn't waking up though. She was mumbling in her unconsciousness. Her eyelids were moving and Agranias wondered if the Dark Lord had trapped her in some sort of nightmare. He knew what the former Grand High Priest of Glastheim was capable of. Abraxil Sovivor could lay waste to an entire city with great combinations of unholy spells or he could focus on just one person and meticulously squeeze out every ounce of suffering.

No one else had noticed Silmeia's condition yet. Around them, several knight divisions rushed about trying to assist the wizard divisions in putting out the fire. Many of the priests who survived the Dark Lord's brutal attack on the Church were in a state of shock. Agranias watched the priest divisions sadly; half of the priests who attended the High Mass had been killed. Half of the remaining priests were in no condition to fight tomorrow or for a few days for that matter. He couldn't blame them. The power of the Dark Lord was overwhelming. In his attack, he had proved himself impervious to any attack the priests were capable. All by himself, Abraxil Sovivor proved that he could take on the Church and win.

Agranias returned his attention on Silmeia. She continued to murmur the same words over and over again. It was painful for him to watch her like this.

"All that sacrifice..."

Agranias clenched his fists. The Dark Lord's words had, somehow, wounded Silmeia deeply and those wounds were beginning to fester. 'No, the wounds were there for a long time already.' He realized. 'Abraxil simply reminded her of how painful they really were.' Agranias continued to stare at Silmeia silently. He wondered why the Dark Lord seemed to target her specifically. She was not the highest-ranked priestess in the Church. The Council of Cardinals was easily defeated but it seemed as if that wasn't even the real purpose for Abraxil's sudden appearance.

Around them, Makaelthos and Eliarainne directed the efforts to prevent the fire from spreading.

"Nothing..."

Every time Agranias heard the priestess say that, he wanted to grasp her by the shoulders shake her to her senses. "That's not true!" He spoke quietly. "Look around you! How many of these people did you personally save? Look at me! Would I be here if it wasn't for you and your sister?" Agranias couldn't bring himself to look away or try to help the soldiers around him. He shook away the impulse to shake her violently or to splash some cold water on her. In a past lifetime, those were the only methods he would have taken to wake someone from unconsciousness. But what should he do? He had never, since the time of his creation, had to deal with people like this. His training excluded any human interaction save for learning how to end human life. Against a squad of elf hunters, Agranias could fight and win with ease. Faced with a single troubled person, he was completely lost. 'What can I do?' He asked himself helplessly.

Silmeia suddenly shifted and moaned slightly. At a loss and desperate, Agranias pulled her close and hugged her tightly. Part of him protested violently at the sudden, unthinking action but he ignored it; paying attention only to her softness and warmth as well as making sure that he didn't crush her against his armor.

It was then that Silmeia finally regained consciousness. She found herself in Agranias's arms and pressed against his chest. "A-Agranias!" She protested. "What are you-?"

Silmeia hesitated and then stopped herself mid-protest. The feeling of being hugged by Sir Agranias was different from the time Sir Gardzen had tried to embrace her. She had blasted the rude knight's face with a holy light spell, back then, before kicking him towards a warp portal to the Coal Mines she had opened behind him. After a grueling trek back to the city, Gardzen had arrived just in time for a trashing from Eliarainne.

For some strange reason, Agranias's arms were…not unwelcome. They felt comforting in fact. Despite the intensity of his embrace, she could feel his arms tense as he maintained control. She suddenly became aware that, if he wanted to, he could easily crush her in his arms. 'How difficult it must be, having to constantly hold yourself back for fear of destroying everything.' She thought. His hold seemed to dispel her self-loathing and helplessness. She instinctively leaned against his chest. His armor felt warm and she could feel his unwavering strength past it.

"Please come back."

Agranias's words carried plainly to Silmeia despite his voice's being less than a whisper. They tugged at her softly. There was something about the plea that stirred her to wakefulness. Silmeia's eyes widened in realization. For all his strength and armor, Agranias was vulnerable too. He needed protecting, just as he protected her. Silmeia looked up at Agranias's face. Sure enough, she saw deep concern in the knight's black irises; concern and fear.

"Please come back."

Silmeia rested her head against Agranias's chest while he began to stroke her hair gently. The feeling felt so reassuring that, for a brief moment, she wanted to forget that the cathedral would be ashes by sunrise. All she wanted was to stay like this for a while.

"I'm here." She told him. She could feel his arms relax in relief.

* * *

Makaelthos Solcry finally allowed himself to sit down on one of Prontera's stone benches and rest. The fire was under control at last but their losses were staggering. The Dark Lord's attack had crippled their priest divisions and, as soon as word got out, city morale would drop. 'All that in a single attack.' He thought. 'Is that the true capability of an immortal?'

He searched the place for his friend and companion, Silmeia Cafilence. He knew that she would probably be affected the most by this. When he found her, though, his worries about the priestess seemed to lessen and increase at the same time.

"Curse that floating, misbegotten pile of bones! Why did he have to attack!"

Makaelthos quickly recognized the familiar cursing behind him. "You had best reserve what energy you have for tomorrow, Eliarainne." He said. "That fire stands out in the night like a zenny-laden cart in Morroc. The orcs are bound to notice that everything's not alright in Prontera."

Eliarainne took a seat beside Makaelthos and watched the diminishing fire with him. "So much for sleep tonight." She replied. "It's like the Dark Lord is working with the orc tribes or something."

Makaelthos watched the cathedral in concern. "Perhaps. But I think the Dark Lord wanted to destroy the cathedral for another reason."

Eliarainne raised an eyebrow. She had seen Seihanine and Kreizen helping out in controlling the fire earlier. There was one other she was concerned with. "What about Silmeia?" She asked. "How's she handling it?"

Makaelthos looked at the priestess direction briefly. "See for yourself."

Eliarainne managed to find to the priestess quickly enough. She reddened slightly and stared at the two. "That's Sir Agranias, right?"

Makaelthos nodded. "It worries me somewhat."

Eliarainne turned to stare at her partner. "In what way?" She asked. "Agranias seems a good enough knight. He fought well this afternoon."

Makaelthos's eyes narrowed. "Maybe, but that doesn't change the fact that we know next to nothing about him."

Eliarainne returned to watching the two.

"I think it's good for Silmeia. This is the first time I've seen her open up to anyone other than us."

Makaelthos shook his head. "That's what makes me so uneasy." He replied.

* * *

'With barely a push they fall into place.' The Dark Lord laughed silently as he stared at his handiwork from atop a building. "How foolish these mortals are! At the face of tragedy they cling to anything for help, even the edges of knives that had hurt them before!" The Dark Lord stared at Agranias. Thousands of years ago he would have known the abysmal knight captain as the perfect soldier of Glastheim; strong, unwavering, fearless and merciless. Right now, he was as pathetic as the rest of the human race. "That's right abysmal knight. Hold her tight; let your darkness swallow everything in her heart. Her loathing, her despair and…" The Dark Lord's voice dripped sarcasm. "…her love! All the more to bring my plans to fruition!"

The Dark Lord's eyes glimmered with amusement. If all goes well, his prize would be secure with the upcoming battles. As for the priestess… "For someone so gifted how easily you fall prey to your emotions!"

"Not as easily as you will fall…before me!"

The Dark Lord whirled about to see who had spoken. Before he could react, a bandaged fist smashed against his cheek. He crashed to the ground at the force of the blow. Indignantly he raised himself from the ground once more, his hands crackled with black lightning as he stared at the one who dared to attack him. "Osiris…" He sneered. "When was the last time you struck me like that?"

Osiris had landed in front of the Dark Lord. Red eyes gleamed from his cloak. "More than a thousand years, Abraxil." He answered. "You were an ugly and cowardly bastard back then; it looks like undeath only worsened both for you!"

The Dark Lord shook off Osiris' blow and unleashed a bolt of dark lightning at him. Osiris dashed to meet the lightning before dodging it. His foot lashed at the Dark Lord in a heel kick. The skeletal being floated back though and slammed a wave of invisible force against Osiris.

"You're a fine one to talk, Osiris!" The Dark Lord taunted back. "Centuries of undeath have apparently done nothing about your barbaric ways!"

Osiris rolled on the ground as soon as he flew from the Dark Lord's spell. He tumbled to his feet and positioned himself in a martial stance. The Dark Lord laughed and gestured; opening a large warp portal before him. Osiris was about to charge again when the hulking figure of Baphomet emerged from the portal.

The goat-demon howled with killing-lust and swung his massive scythe at the mummy. "It's about time you signaled, Dark Lord!" He bellowed. "I was beginning to think you were keeping all the carnage to yourself!"

Baphomet swung his scythe again; forcing Osiris to take several steps back. Suddenly, something crashed against the goat-demon; sending him tumbling to the ground. The doppelganger rolled away from Baphomet and raised his broad sword.

"I've got a bone to pick with you, you grass-chewing piece of hell-scum!" The doppelganger shouted. He was still smiling despite his threats.

Baphomet got on his feet and roared. The doppelganger merely smiled even wider and then charged at the demon. Meanwhile, Osiris lunged at the Dark Lord once again; his fists struck his opponent's skeletal figure while the Dark Lord's bolts of lightning seared his own undead flesh.

"Nothing ever happened in our battles before, Osiris!" The Dark Lord said. "What makes you think you can conclude this now?"

Osiris' eyes flashed furiously. "Your insanity destroyed the Glastheim and threatened to destroy Morroc, Abraxil!" He answered. "Tell me why I shouldn't try to end your miserable existence!"

The Dark Lord suddenly waved his arm, causing a wall of roaring flames to spring forth in front of him. He heard the horns sound from the walls of the city. "Do you hear that, Osiris?" He taunted. "The horns of war sound once more! The orc tribes will soon resume their attacks on this city!"

Osiris leaped above the flames and launched a flying kick at the Dark Lord.

"Leave the mortals to their concerns, Dark Lord; your fight is with me!"

* * *

Makaelthos heard the horns from the orc tribes' camp from his place near the center of Prontera. "They're going to attack again! Eliarainne!" He said.

Eliaraine nodded and immediately ran towards Bristle. She rode off to gather her division in an instant.

Makaelthos turned to find that both Agranias and Silmeia were getting ready as well. 'I hope it doesn't affect her performance in the war.' He thought. 'With half of our priests dead, we need her more than ever.' He rushed towards the south gate as well. As much as he didn't like to admit it, there were greater problems to be addressed besides the uncertain relationship between his priestess companion and the knight. 'I wish I could trust you, Agranias…although I don't seem to have much of a choice in the matter do I?' With that, he pushed all remaining thoughts about Agranias and Silmeia out of his mind. Now was the time to focus on battle.

The moment Agranias first heard the horns of battle. He immediately looked at the priestess's reaction. He realized that the last thing Silmeia needed was watching more of Prontera's army dying. It surprised him, though, to find her face resolute. The surprise wore off, though, and was replaced by relief. Silmeia had gained her composure. "Priestess, are you alright now?" He asked.

Silmeia found herself smiling at Agranias. "I'm a little better." She answered. "Thank you."

Agranias avoided the priestess's direct gaze as he took his arms off her. Once more, the guilt came to him. He knew that he could comfort her now because she didn't know who he really was. "I'm glad." He said. "We have to go now, priestess."

The priestess squeezed the Agranias's gauntleted hand before making her way to the remnants of her division.

"Please…call me Silmeia."

* * *

**World Notes**

**The Coal Mines** – the Coal Mines are the remains of an elven mine in Mt. Mjolnir. It used to be a great labyrinthine mine and an important resource for the elven capital of Yuno during the Age of Glastheim. During the Elven Extermination War, it was collapsed by Abraxil Sovivor, sealing a great portion of the place underground. Undead elven miners still haunt the lower sections of the place while Prontera has resumed some operations on the upper levels.


	33. Red Brutality

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 31: Red Brutality**

"Lances, ready!" Eliarainne Sialsanderin called out as she rode at the head of her division. It was a scramble to get them ready before the orc forces could mass in front of the south gate once more but she managed to pull it off. She had done so, mainly, by making sure no one was straggling. The First Knight Division was growing increasingly worried, though. The Second Priest division had been severely reduced in number. Barely half of the priests who supported them yesterday stood behind them now. What was worse was that these priests and priestesses looked exhausted even before the battle had begun. Her partner stood beside her; watching the slowly gathering orcs, kobolds and goblins. Even he looked grimly at the situation. He didn't even have to say that the battle today would be much more difficult than the previous one.

The first rays of the rising sun were already shining on Prontera but all it shone on was the ashy remains of the once-great cathedral. Where beautiful, white, marble pillars stood; there only a few broken, blackened columns left. The smell of charred corpses was prevalent even a long way from the church. Bones, pieces of flesh, an occasional disembodied arm or leg and discarded weaponry were scattered among the ruins. Most of the priests who fell against the Dark Lord, those that could be found and indentified, were already buried in the new graveyard plot that was set aside for casualties of the siege. If Prontera won against the siege, they would be honored as heroes. Otherwise…no one wanted to think of that.

"Keep your men together, First Knight Commander." Makaelthos told her. "We'll have to concentrate on driving them back today. Our first priority will be to minimize the number of casualties in this battle."

Eliarainne nodded at her partner's advice. While she led her division as Knight Commander, it was Makaelthos who often formulated the tactics she used. She often mentioned this to him but he would merely smile and wave away the notion. He had a good head for tactics and that was all, he would say. He may know what to do but he could not a division of knights to do it. She led by example; her presence boosted her troop's morale and they would follow her anywhere and against anyone. That was more important for a leader. "What about the crusader divisons that the Church has?" She asked him.

Makaelthos shook his head. "The remaining leaders of the Pronteran Church are keeping a majority of the crusaders close to themselves." He answered. "The Dark Lord's attack has them fearing for their lives."

Eliarainne's grip on her lance tightened. "Those stubborn fools!" She groused. "If the orcs break through our defenses they won't need the Dark Lord to finish them!"

Makaelthos watched as the remaining priests in Silmeia's division struggled to remain standing. Their harrowing experience against the Dark Lord had sapped a lot from their energies. "I suppose, in a way, we can't really blame them, can we?" He said.

Eliarainne watched the Second Priest Division as well. It was obvious that the Dark Lord's immense power had them utterly frightened for their lives. But still...she let out a sigh of relief as Silmeia took her place at the head of her division. Sir Agranias rode behind her on his pecopeco; his gaze resting protectively over the priestess.

Even Makaelthos had to hide a smile as Silmeia's arrival had her priests and priestesses standing a little straighter. He could always count on Silmeia's presence to boost her division's morale but, in a way, it was probably that very same thing that put a lot of strain on her.

The orcish horns began to blow once again; causing him to return his focus on the orc tribes. His eyes narrowed as he watched the orc hordes slowly advance. 'What are those things forming at their center?' He thought.

At the center of the orcish formation was a large group of heavily-cloaked figures. Judging by their size, Makaelthos guessed that they were high orcs. Not only that, they were probably exceptionally strong high orcs. He recognized the axes that they carried in each hand; the buster axe, a weapon design favored by orcs. Except that they were made to be swung with both hands.

"_I don't make those by commission or otherwise."_ Kreizen had once said. _"It has power, people will say. Of course it has power! It's an enormous chunk of barely sharpened metal stuck to a tree trunk! Orcs don't care much for crafting as they do for turning their enemies to chunks of meat!"_

The orcish horns blew for the third time. With it, the orc tribes began their assault with a mighty roar that seemed to shake the walls of Prontera itself. They dashed across the plains and straight into the waiting lances of Prontera's knight divisions.

* * *

The moment the first of the cloaked orcs reached her range, Seihanine Xalascent simultaneously loosed two arrows at one of them. The cloaked orc stumbled as both arrows plunged to its chest but, much to the huntress's surprise, it continued charging. The orcs let out another roar and tore their cloaks off, revealing bright red skin and powerfully built muscles. Seihanine grit her teeth in frustration and fired two more arrows at the red high orc she had shot earlier. It stopped briefly, staggered by the impact, but then tried to charge once more. Annoyed, she peppered the beast with more arrows until it finally crashed to the ground. She immediately aimed for the next red high orc. 'What the hell are these things?'She thought. 'They don't even look like high orcs!' Seihanine searched the battlefield for her companions. They were going to need all the cover they could get.

* * *

Kreizen Xalascent ducked the swing of the first red high orc that attacked him. He drove his two-handed axe into the creature's chest and stepped back as blood spurted from its wound. The red high orc snarled furiously and tried to decapitate him with its other axe. He stared at the orc incredulously and attacked once again. The buster axe swung dangerously close to his arm as he lunged at the creature. His own weapon struck the orc on the neck; causing more of the creature's blood to spray about. The red high orc continued snarling and flailed its axes about. Kreizen grunted as one axe managed to graze his left shoulder. He struck again. This time, he completely decapitated the orc. "You damned, red-skinned freaks!" He taunted. "Who wants to die next?"

He grinned fiercely as three more red-skinned creatures lunged at him. These new high orcs were incredibly tough and unnaturally strong. They stood about a foot taller than an average high orc and they were about twice as bulky as the blue-skinned monsters. Blue veins bulged from their muscles; contrasting with the red skin and adding to the garish, blue tattoos that marked their bodies. They were constantly snarling and roaring showing they possessed an animalistic fury that exceeded that of their other orcish comrades. 'Bigger, stronger and meaner, eh?' He thought. 'Fine! I'll handle whatever beast the orc hero throws at me!'

Kreizen brought out a bag of zenny and concentrated.

* * *

Silmeia Cafilence concentrated all her energy on healing the knights who were having a hard time against the red high orcs. In addition to the new threat, high orcs, orc archers, warriors and ladies clashed against them. The goblins and kobolds attacked as well. The smaller goblins swarmed about their legs, stabbing at knees and feet with vicious knives. They aimed for the gap behind the knees, hamstringing careless knights who failed to notice them. The kobolds were fiercer enemies; fighting with all sorts of weapons, from maces, to axes and hammers. The sky was filled with arrows, either from the archers and hunters from the walls or from the enemy archers. One red high orc sprinted towards Silmeia, only to be stabbed from behind by Agranias.

"Spread out!" Silmeia ordered her division. "Avoid bunching together and force their archers to have a difficult target!"

The Second Priest Division obeyed their Head's orders. Spreading out was their only available tactic against the arrows of their enemies. Most of their energies went to the knights who fought against the red high orcs. They couldn't spare even a tiny bit of energy for blessing the knights or raising the clouds of energy that deflected the bolts and arrows of the enemy. Silmeia watched as more enemies charged at her division only to be engaged by Agranias. 'Don't fall here, Agranias.' She silently pleaded with him. 'I can't bear the thought of losing you now.' She whispered a prayer asking for protection not for her but for the dark-armored knight.

* * *

Agranias met the attack of one red high orc head on. The red-skinned creature dove at him and attempted to drag him off his mount. He responded by impaling the orc through the chest and tossing him at his comrades. Other orcs swarmed about him, each of them trying to get to the Second Priest Division behind. He waved his sword about, all the while wishing that he could fight at his full strength. The size of his weapon and his mount were preventing him from fighting at his best.

Domnadriel shook his head and whinnied. The enchantment he was in translated the whinny into a squawk. The horse longed to trample these foes; foes he should be dwarfing.

"We have to keep fighting, Domnadriel." Agranias told his mount. The horse was getting impatient in his weakened form. "We're part of this now!"

Agranias watched as one red high orc suddenly flew from his right. Its body was smoking as it fell to the ground near him. He followed the spell's source. Sure enough, it was the green-haired wizard; his hand was still sizzling with electrical energy.

* * *

Trenzein grinned as the dark-armored knight nodded at him. He had a hard time getting ready; mainly because he had to heal the wounds he received from Maiha without telling anybody about the incident. This was doubly important when it came to Kreizen and Seihanine as they would have immediately hunted for the assassin as soon as they realized that she was still alive.

The presence of the red high orcs intrigued him but what really bothered him was that the orcish immortals were not attacking along with their minions. He could see the orc hero standing behind the lines of his troops. He waved his standard about to encourage his warriors but he kept his sword sheathed. The orc lord was shouting orders from behind as well. 'They're probably making sure that Osiris and the doppelganger don't interfere.' He thought.

Trenzein immediately focused his magic on one of the red high orcs. His fingers flexed and traced symbols in the air as he pointed at the creature. Not all spells involved flashy bursts of elemental energy. Some were purely mental efforts. The spell he used now affected only his mind; it forced his mental faculties into a short-lived, extremely heightened state that allowed him to make accurate assumptions from the smallest clues. With a look, he could gather information on the new breed of orc before him; the elements they were most vulnerable to, as well as their natural resistances. 'So that's what they're capable of.' He thought. 'Very well…' Magical energy surged through the his arms. All he needed to cast now was the necessary spells and…

* * *

Eliarainne waved her lance about; striking several high orcs on the chest and knocking them all back. Bristle squawked and kicked, his claws gouging wounds on the much smaller goblins while she skewered a kobold that came at her. Her shield already bristled with arrows and bolts while her weapon and armor were already soaked in blood. One red high orc suddenly stared at her and roared to his companions in his language. Eliarainne knew a smattering of orcish, enough to get a gist of what he had just cried out.

"Human armored maiden! Honor and treasure to her killer!"

The orcs around Eliarainne howled and jumped at her. She avoided the myriad of axes that came her way and punched her lance into the throat of one red high orc. The others continued attacking her, paying no attention to the ones she killed. "So the orc hero has put a price on my head!" She taunted them. "Let's see who among you can claim it then!" She urged Bristle forward; trampling anyone who failed to get out of her way. Her lance struck another red high orc in the face before she wheeled about in order to face her opponents.

An arrow suddenly struck her from behind.

The sudden pain was so surprising that Eliarainne nearly fell off her mount. She grit her teeth against it continued fighting. From afar, she could hear someone shouting her name but she paid it no attention. 'One problem at a time.' She thought.

Eliarainne blocked the swing of one red high orc and kicked him aside while she plunged her lance into an over-eager high orc. The red-skinned beast snarled and jumped at her. She whipped her lance about, catching the orc in the eye. She continued to wave her lance about, forcing the orcs to step back while she recovered.

An axe suddenly bit into her back.

Eliarainne cried out in fury the moment she felt the sharpened, orcish steel slice through her armor and into the flesh beneath. She whirled about to discover a red high orc holding the bloody buster axe in triumph. The orc's moment of victory was short, though, as she ran it through with her lance. Her arms began to sag; the pain was starting to get to her.

Another axe bit into her side.

Eliarainne gasped in pain. It was getting harder to breathe inside her helm. She sliced a high orc's throat out with the sharpened tip of her lance. More orcs continued to attack her despite the rapidly increasing pile of dead bodies around her. She managed to remove her helm. At once she took in a lungful of air even as she disarmed yet another red high orc.

"Armor maiden is faltering! Keep attacking!" A red high orc roared.

The orcs around her roared in anticipation; one of them managed to drag her from her mount, causing her to crash to the ground. Bristle squawked in panic and drove the horn on his forehead into the chest of another orc. The warriors paid him no heed, though. They howled triumphantly and jumped at his fallen rider.

'You fools think you're so strong.'

The orcs suddenly stopped and stared at Eliarainne in surprise. Something was wrong about this enemy.

Eliarainne stood up. The pain of her wounds seemed so less now. At least they wouldn't compare to the pain she was going to cause. She opened her eyes and strode forward. Before one high orc could react; she had grabbed one of its arms and gave it an expert twist. The high orc howled in pain as its arm snapped, its axe dropped from its numb fingers. Eliarainne grabbed the axe and hurled it at another high orc. The weapon buried itself into the blue-skinned creature's face even as she grabbed her lance. The red high orcs were about to attack when they caught a glimpse of her eyes.

The high orcs fled almost at once while the red high orcs hesitated to even approach. The "armor maiden's" appearance had changed. Her eyes had become bright red orbs in pools of darkness. She grinned; her grit teeth revealed incredibly sharp fangs. One red high orc roared and charged at her. She responded by lunging at the orc at the middle of its roar, grabbing its lower jaw and tearing it completely off. The red high orc crashed to the ground while the other red high orcs first continued to stare at her before staring at each other. Another red high orc dropped to the ground. Its arms had been torn from its sockets. She approached them, grinning with utter bloodlust.

"Claim your prize, orcs" She sneered. "I'm right here…"

The orcs stepped away from Eliatainne. They had seen such eyes from somewhere before.

* * *

"Eliarainne!"

Makaelthos dragged his saber from the neck of one red high orc. His partner was wounded and surrounded and he had to waste precious time on this red-skinned bastards. He smashed his shield against another red-skinned orc; sending it tumbling to the ground. He plunged his saber into its heart before it could even stand up.

"Eliarainne!"

Makaelthos shouted his partner's name like a war cry. He had to get closer to the knight. He had to help her before-

"Baphomet!"

Makaelthos whirled about to see if the goat-demon was around. To his surprise the red high orcs were running away from his partner, who was walking slowly towards the orcs' side. What further unnerved him was that Baphomet wasn't around.

"Baphomet fights with the humans!"

The red high orcs continued running. Utter fear reflected in their eyes.


	34. Influence

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 32: Influence**

"Die."

One high orc screamed as the halberd cut through his leg. The knight raised her weapon once again and punched it through the back of his neck.

"Die."

A red high orc swung one of his buster axes at the knight, who ducked beneath it and stabbed the red-skinned creature right in its solar plexus. The oridecon blade glistened with blood as it poked out of the red high orc's back. The knight withdrew it and kicked the dead orc aside.

"Die."

The knight's wounds continued bleeding; soaking her armor with her own blood. The pain was a mere dull ache in the back of her mind though. The only thing that mattered now was killing the orcs who dared to harm her.

"Die."

A red high orc roared in defiance only to have the halberd cut through the tendons of his open mouth. His entire jaw unhinged from one side; dangling from the orc's face only by a piece of muscle. The knight grinned and continued advancing. There were more orcs to kill. Much more.

"Die!"

The knight whistled sharply. At once her pecopeco responded with a squawk and approached. Bristle was taken aback as he saw her though. His instincts immediately warned him that something was not right with his rider. Still, he did not protest with anything more than a nervous squawk as she climbed on his back as she always did. The knight replaced her halberd behind her and raised her lance in a mocking salute against her foes. There would be no honor in the way these vermin would die. Swiftly, she spurred her mount forward. Her lanced was couched to kill on impact.

"Eliarainne!"

The knight paused briefly. The name was familiar and so was the voice but she could not stop now. Her prey were scattering from her approach and she had to catch and slaughter them before they escaped.

"Eliarainne, stop!"

The knight's eyes widened in realization; that was her name, and that voice was-

"Makaelthos."

The knight's voice was a mere, raspy whisper. Certain…memories were starting to return but she charged nonetheless. At once, she trampled over a helpless high orc. Her smile grew fiercer as she watched the orcish army part against her charge. 'They fear me; that's good.' She thought. "If they will not fight then I will slaughter them instead!'

One red high orc failed to get out her away quickly enough. Her lance struck his left shoulder. The sharp, oridecon point tore through the flesh; leaving the bone exposed. The lance whipped about and struck the red high orc's exposed shoulder bone; ripping the entire arm off. The knight started laughing; a brutal and triumphant laughter that caused even the red high orcs' eyes to widen in panic. Surely this woman was an embodiment of the demonic fury that was Baphomet.

"Stop running you bastard orcs!" The knight shouted at them furiously. "I'll kill you! I'll kill all of you! I'll-!"

Before the knight could finish though, someone suddenly grabbed her by the arm. She struggled to pull away but her attacker's grip was intense. With great force, she was dragged from her saddle; causing her to crash to the ground on her back. She struggled to break free as someone fell on top of her; pinning her arms to the ground. She felt her legs being entangled by her attacker's own; stopping her from using them as leverage. She snarled and pushed harder.

"Eliarainne! Listen to me! Stop struggling!" Makaelthos continued to pin Eliarainne to the ground until he felt the knight relax under him. "The orcs are fleeing, Eliarainne. There's no need to pursue them." He told her.

Eliarainne looked up at Makaelthos. Her eyes had returned to their normal color. The fury was starting to recede. "I-I'm fine now, Makaelthos." She said.

Makaelthos rolled off his partner and watched her carefully. He was panting from the effort. Trying to hold her down was like trying to grapple with a minorus.

Eliarainne sat up as well. Sure enough, the orcs were starting to withdraw. Panting from exertion, she surveyed the battlefield and understood why. Hundreds of orcs lay dead around them along with the bodies of the knights, wizards and priests that fell in battle. The bottom of the walls was littered with the bodies of dead hunters who were shot to death by the enemy.

Makaelthos stood up; still keeping his eyes on his partner. "You scared them off." He told her. "Their leaders must have noticed the number of warriors they were losing."

Eliarainne looked behind her. Her trail was covered with mounds of bodies from uncounted orcs. The wounds on her enemies were terrible. Heads and limbs were twisted, ripped or hacked off. Gaping holes were found in all parts of their bodies. Bones glared obscenely white from the tears that her lance inflicted while bits of guts spilled everywhere like horrid carrion. All of a sudden, she couldn't imagine herself inflicting such wounds on any opponent.

Makaelthos looked at her with concern. "You're hurt." He said. "We have to get back to the city."

Eliarainne stared at her blood-stained gauntlets. Orcish blood ran down her armor and weapon. More blood dripped from her hair and face. Suddenly, her vision blurred; the blood loss was getting to her.

Makaelthos caught his partner just in time as she pitched forward. He immediately passed his hands over her wounds while chanting a prayer for healing. The spell closed the wounds but he knew that it did not replace lost blood. Only several days of rest could properly restore her to full strength.

"Master Makaelthos." A familiar voice spoke from behind him.

Makaelthos turned towards the sound of the voice. He had been wondering where Khaesilya had gone to. "Khaesilya! Where were you?" He asked.

Khaesilya stood in front of Makaelthos; her head was bowed in an apologetic manner. The bloodstains on her clothes indicated that she had been fighting fiercely. He also noticed the gashes on her arms and legs. What puzzled him though was the burn on Khaesilya's left hand. There were no orcish spell casters during the battle.

"I've been fighting near the Second Wizard division." She answered. "I tried reaching your side but-"

Makaelthos nodded in understanding. When Eliarainne started charging, he had to move ahead of the First Knight Division and straight into enemy lines. It was not his style to endanger himself by moving away from his allies but it was necessary. A few more minutes of carnage and Eliarainne would have died from exertion alone. Khaesilya helped him carry Eliarainne back to the city. The battle was over, at least for today. "Khaesilya, how did you get that burn?" Makaelthos asked.

Khaesilya avoided Makaelthos's gaze. "It was…Moonlight." She answered.

Makaelthos face grew serious. Moonlight Flower's presence in Prontera was yet another threat he would have to deal with. It was strange though; the cat-being would stand out in Prontera's human population. How was he disguising himself? "Did you see where he went?" He asked.

Khaesilya shook her head.

"I only caught a glimpse of him in the shadows before he started casting spells. It's strange; it's as if he was trying to hide his appearance."

Makaelthos finally reached the gates of Prontera. Already, he could see the damage inflicted on the Pronteran army. Casualties at unheard of numbers were being carried away. The army was starting to feel the effects of the lack of priests. In addition, the appearance of the red high orcs added to their troubles. All of a sudden, he wasn't so sure of Prontera's inevitable triumph. 'It's going to be an uphill battle just to drive the orcs away.' He thought. 'After that, we have to deal with Moonlight, the Dark Lord and Baphomet. That is, if we could even remotely trust Osiris and the doppelganger.' He made his way to knight barracks while carrying his partner in a piggyback position. He watched as Silmeia rushed frantically towards them.

"Makaelthos! Is Rainne alright?"

Makaelthos nodded and forced a smile. Silmeia looked like she was standing on force of will alone. Another healing spell would probably result in harm for her. "She'll be alright, Silmeia." He answered. "She just overexerted herself that's all."

Silmeia relaxed upon hearing that. Behind her, Agranias did not seem convinced. She gave Eliarainne one last look of concern before starting to make her way to the cathedral. That was when she remembered that there was no cathedral to come back to.

Makaelthos's expression grew grim. "The knight barracks have a spare building in case we have to hold troops from the other cities." He told her. "The remaining priests could probably use that. You have to tell the others though."

Silmeia smiled and nodded grimly. She had seen the spare building before. It was pretty small as it was hardly used. What saddened her was that it could probably accommodate the remaining priests. Indeed, they would have room to spare. "Thank you, Makaelthos." She replied. "I'll tell the others."

Silmeia turned to leave. Agranias, on the other hand, approached Makaelthos. "I saw her eyes while she was slaying all those orcs." He said. "There's something strange happening to her…"

Makaelthos stared at his unconscious partner. "I know that, Sir Agranias. I saw them too." He answered.

Agranias nodded and prepared to leave. He did not mention that, in the brief moment he locked gazes with the knight, he had a familiar feeling that he had encountered something similar before. He did not mention it to the crusader, though. Sir Makaelthos Solcry looked like he already had too many problems to handle.

* * *

Makaelthos placed Eliarainne on her bed and watched her worriedly. The moment he had approached Eliarainne, he felt the unnatural aura that she exuded. For a brief moment, his first instinct was to attack her at full force like he did with any rampaging fiend. He had to force himself to resort to a non-lethal way of subduing her before she charged into the orcish camp itself. Berserk as she was, she would have been no match for the immortals.

"Master Makaelthos." Khaesilya spoke to catch his attention.

Makaelthos turned to face his sohee companion. "Yes, Khaesilya?" He asked.

Khaesilya watched the unconscious knight in front of her before staring at Makaelthos in concern. "You should rest as well." She said. "You've fought harder than anyone else just to stop her."

Makaelthos shook his head and leaned against the wall of Eliarainne's room. He doubted if he could relax for a while after watching his partner earlier. "I think I'll stay here for a while." He answered.

Khaesilya bowed her consent. "Will you be eating lunch in your quarters, Master Makaelthos?" She asked.

Makaelthos nodded. He didn't like the idea of Khaesilya cooking for him before but he soon realized that, at times, it couldn't be helped. "I will as soon as I make sure Eliarainne's alright." He answered.

Khaesilya bowed once again and left the room.

* * *

_Eliarainne found herself in the middle of Prontera but this wasn't the city she knew. The bodies of hundreds of knights lay strewn across the streets like fallen leaves in autumn. The sky above her was crimson and cloudless. All around her she could hear the sounds of battle._

"Who's there?" Eliarainne called out. The vision of Prontera faded. She found herself surrounded by darkness. The voice she heard was deep and powerful, laced with animalistic fury and malice. It sounded as if it came from all around her.

**"Who dares make contact with Baphomet!"**

Eliarainne's eyes widened. Baphomet was here? But she couldn't see anything at all!

**"A female knight…you have a lot of nerve, linking your thoughts to mine. What in the infinite layers of the Abyss could you possibly want?"**

Eliarainne suddenly remembered her furious advance against the orcs as well as the nightmares she was having so often. "You!" She yelled. "This all happened after you bit me!"

The voice roared furiously. The sound echoed in the darkness.

**"I have feasted on hundreds of knights, woman. What makes you any special?"**

Eliarainne was silent for a while. It sounded like even Baphomet had no idea what was happening to her. But if he wasn't the cause then why was she-? Baphomet's voice spoke out once again.

**"You…I sense something strange about you…something familiar…"**

Eliarainne clutched her head. "Shut up!" She shouted. "What are you doing in my thoughts anyway?"

The voice laughed.

**"I get it now! What a coincidence it was to have met you!"**

Eliarainne covered her ears. The demon's voice was starting to grate on her. "Be silent!"She cried out.

The demon continued laughing.

**"To think I would meet someone like you in these times! The Dark Lord would be amused!"**

Eliarainne shouted at the darkness. "Shut up, damn you!"

Baphomet ignored her words and continued talking. His voice carried a hint of dark amusement.

**"This is entirely your fault, human! I am a mere catalyst!"**

The demon's laughter filled the darkness. Eliarainne fell to her knees. Her fault? How could all of this be her fault? She suddenly felt someone grip her by her shoulders and shake her. She fought back at the invisible force. Her fist swung forward; striking something heavily. The darkness was suddenly dispelled.

* * *

"Eliarainne!"

Eliarainne's eyes fluttered open. Makaelthos was in front of her, watching her worriedly. He rubbed his jaw painfully with one hand. "You were tossing and turning in your sleep." He said.

Eliarainne felt her wounds on her side and back. Realization suddenly dawned on her. "My armor…" She said.

Makaelthos allowed himself to smile. His partner was feeling better already. "It's on the stand." He answered. "Keep resting, Eliarainne. I'll bring you something to eat."

Eliarainne felt her cheeks color. Luckily, Makaelthos wasn't watching. "I'm sorry." She told him.

Makaelthos waved a hand dismissively. "Don't be." He said. "Besides I'm starting to get used to it."

Eliarainne was about to reply when she suddenly found Makaelthos staring at someone from her doorway.

"What are you doing here, ditch-knight?"

Cafilex Sialsanderin stared balefully at Makaelthos. Behind him were Eldorius Sevrisn and another middle-aged blacksmith who was probably Eldorius's father.

Makaelthos stared back. His hand signaled at Eliarainne to stay down.


	35. Alone

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 33: Alone**

"Damn this accursed body! Damn it to hell!" Moonlight snarled; more to himself and the other persona he had to share a body with than to anyone in Prontera. It would have been a strange scene if someone was watching. A golden-haired girl who looked no older than sixteen was railing curses that could silence a Morrocan thief. Moonlight Flower smashed some of the tools inside Kreizen's shop; vexed by his strange inability to finish off the impudent huntress he met earlier. 'Why can't I change my form back?' he thought. 'And why did I lose control when I tried to kill that blue-haired wench of a huntress?' Moonlight looked around the Xalascents' house until he caught sight of a mirror inside the huntress's bedroom. He stared furiously at the reflected image he saw before him and struck the mirror; leaving a circular web of cracks. Still furious he stared at "his" fist and watched as it began to bleed. "Fox maiden, how dare you thwart my will." he growled. Moonlight walked out of the blacksmith's shop. He continued brooding as he started wandering the streets of Prontera aimlessly. All around him all sorts of people were rushing towards the same direction. He followed their path with his eyes and caught sight of the burning cathedral.

"Wow! What's a pretty girl like you doing here alone?" someone spoke from behind him.

Moonlight turned to glare at the one who spoke. Being referred to as a girl was infuriating enough but to be called "pretty" deserved some punishment. He found himself glaring at a young blond swordsman. The boy was barely a foot taller than the body he was using and had an annoying, easy-going smile as if the burning cathedral nearby was nothing more than a festival bonfire.

"My name's Joe Buck, miss." the swordsman spoke. "Mind if I escorted you to where you're going?"

Moonlight recognized the voice already. The swordsman's appearance confirmed his suspicions. "Doppelganger." he hissed.

The swordsman's eyes widened. "Wow! How'd you know that, lady?" he asked in surprise. "Can you read minds? Can you teach me?"

Moonlight scowled at the swordsman. It was so easy. The doppelganger projected an aura of unnaturalness that any immortal could pick up. To mortals, he would simply be a swordsman, indistinguishable from other swordsmen except for his great skill. To immortals, he stood out of mortal society like a shadow caught in the light. "You don't recognize me then, doppelganger." he said contemptuously. "You, on the other hand, are as obvious as ever!"

The doppelganger squinted at Moonlight. "Wait a minute…I recognize that voice!" he exclaimed. "Is that you Moony?""

Arcs of magical energy coursed through Moonlight's arms. "Moony!" he snarled. "You'll regret that insolent remark, swordsman!"

The doppelganger grinned and drew his broadsword. "You know, Moony, I'd really rather be fighting your pal, Eddga." he said. "A thinker like you is more suitable to fight my buddy over there." he pointed towards Moonlight's back.

Moonlight's eyes widened in realization. He ducked just in time as a bandaged fist swung from behind him. He jumped to the side and faced the two immortals.

Osiris's eyes gleamed from his hood once again. "You're outnumbered this time, Moonlight." he spoke. "A shame we can't fight in the middle of the city without anyone noticing. Lucky you." With that, Osiris turned to leave.

The doppelganger scratched his head in confusion. "You mean we're not finishing him off?" he asked. "Well, I suppose it would make Joe Buck look bad if he was caught beating on a girl!"

Moonlight seethed as the doppelganger laughed and walked away with Osiris. The two immortals reminded him that, despite being able to blend in, he was at an obvious disadvantage when faced with the two of them. An idea came to him. There was a way to turn Prontera against "Joe Buck" and "Seiros". 'This accursed body may be of some use yet.' he thought.

Moonlight knew that the mortals were prone to trust those who looked innocent. Osiris's disguise was that of a hooded stranger; untrustworthy and mysterious. The doppelganger's natural form was a swordsman. While more easily trusted, he was still prone to suspicion. Moonlight's form, on the other hand, was that of an infuriatingly beautiful young girl; easily trusted as compared to the other two. He had also gained the trust of that fool blacksmith. The huntress was a different matter, though. "While she knows who I am, she will still need proof…I can deal with that easily enough." he said to himself.

Moonlight allowed himself to smile as he wandered the streets. The burning cathedral was not his concern. As he walked, he suddenly caught sight of a passing sohee. She was running somewhere; likely on an errand. 'A slave.' He thought. 'These humans must be punished for treating my minions like this.' Moonlight concentrated on the sohee. Realization dawned on him. This sohee was no slave! He suddenly remembered the sohee that attacked him while he fought against a crusader. 'It's that treacherous sohee!' he realized furiously.

* * *

Khaesilya had spotted the burning cathedral while she returned from her talk with Sir Agranias. She then remembered that her master was supposed to make a report there. 'Master Makaelthos!' She thought in alarm. She hurried towards the cathedral. Her master could be in danger!

"Sohee!" someone hissed from nearby.

Khaesilya froze as she heard the voice from the shadows. The voice was easily recognizable; all sohees knew that voice from instinct alone. "Moonlight Flower." she answered.

The cat-being remained in the shadows. "What are you doing here, sohee?" he asked. "Why is it that you do not serve me?"

Khaesilya drew her stiletto. Moonlight Flower had fought against her master before. That alone was an unforgivable crime in her eyes. "I will not serve anyone who dares harm my master." she answered.

Moonlight's voice grew indignant. "Master!" he cried out. "I am your master! All sohee are my servants!"

Khaesilya shook her head defiantly. "I serve no one but my master. Not even you, Moonlight Flower."

Moonlight's hand flared with magical energy. The streets were deserted again anyway; all the knights had gone to the cathedral. "Insolent wench!" he snarled. "If you will not serve then perish!"

A stroke of lightning erupted from Moonlight's fingers. Khaesilya tried to dodge the spell but the electricity managed to graze her side; jolting her back and leaving a burn on her left hand. She recovered and lunged at the cat-being, who stepped further into the shadows. "Why do you hide, Moonlight Flower?" she called out.

Moonlight cursed loudly in response. Suddenly the darkness echoed with the wails of several sohees.

"I have no more time for you…human slave. I will let your "sisters" deal with you."

Several sohees emerged from the shadows."_Ascaer'nae Khaesilya!_" they wailed in unison. Khaesilya heard Moonlight chant a teleportation spell from the darkness.

The lead sohee stood a foot taller than Khaesilya while the three more who floated from the shadows were about her height. All of them brandished stilettos while glaring hatefully at her. Khaesilya kept her guard up as they surrounded her. The red and gold ribbons they used to tie their hair marked them as members of the StillBreath tribe; the most traditional of the sohees and therefore the ones who hate her the most.

"Chieftain Aiselha." Khaesilya remarked. "You call me slave while you appear at the beck and call of someone else."

Aiselha sneered at Khaesilya. Her voice dripped with contempt and the arrogance that came naturally with free people who talked to slaves. To a simple observer, it was difficult to tell the sohees apart. Besides being taller, Aiselha' red eyes were more slanted than Khaesilya's. She sported a long, vertical scar on her cheek; a mark that proved that she had fought and slain mortals before. Her chin was more pronounced and pointed. This, combined with a sharp-looking nose gave her the look of a haughty, aristocratic, Payonese noblewoman. "How dare you speak so directly to your better, Khaesilya!" she hissed. "Wretched _ascaer'nae_! Your existence has become an embarrassment to our race, traitor! How many sohees have you betrayed to that foul master of yours?"

At the word "foul", Khaesilya's patience snapped. Her hair began to whip about as if stirred by an unnatural wind. Her feet rose from the ground as she faced the other sohees. "No one insults my master!" she hissed. "Not even other sohees!"

The street suddenly resounded with wails and the sound of stilettos striking each other. In less than a minute, two of the sohees dropped dead; their chests bleeding freely from stab wounds to the heart. The third sohee sported a vicious gash across her face while Aiselha was bleeding from her shoulder. Khaesilya, on the other hand, suffered from several cuts on her arms. The remaining two sohees began to circle her.

"You fight viciously, Khaesilya…like the cornered dog that you are!" Aiselha hissed.

Khaesilya held her stiletto with her right hand and pointed it horizontally at her foes, keeping the weapon in the same level as her shoulder. Her left hand closed into a fist and positioned so that her forearm extended across her chest, as if she was holding an imaginary shield.

Aiselha wailed furiously, the battle cry of all sohee, as she saw her opponent's stance. "You fight like a foul crusader, traitor!" she cried out. "I will slay you in the name of our true master!"

The other sohee wailed as well and attacked from behind. Khaesilya met Aiselha's attack head on. Her stiletto deflected her opponent's attack and forced Aiselha's arm down. Before the other sohee could strike, Khaesilya brought her left hand up and backhanded Aiselha on the face. Aiselha fell back; stunned. Khaesilya whirled in time to sidestep the other sohee's stab. Before the other sohee could strike again, Khaesilya waved her stiletto about; slicing the other sohee's neck open. Bright red blood spattered onto Khaesilya's clothes.

Aiselha wailed louder as she circled Khaesilya. "Three more sohees you have murdered in the name of your "master"! Your death will be a boon to all sohees!"

Aiselha rushed toward Khaesilya. Her stiletto waved about; trying to slice at her opponent's neck. Khaesilya deflected the strike once again and struck Aiselha on the face with her fist. Aiselha floated back while Khaesilya pushed her attack forward. Her stiletto cut through the air; dealing a tremendously large, vertical cut on Aiselha's chest. Aiselha wailed in agony but Khaesilya did not relent. Her stiletto sliced another wound on Aiselha; this time, a horizontal cut across her chest. The two wounds formed a cross on Aiselha's chest. While it did not explode with holy power to blow apart a demonic sohee, Khaesilya had all but perfectly mimicked her master's signature attack. "No one insults Master Makaelthos, whether a human or a sohee."She whispered.

Khaesilya looked on impassively as Aiselha collapsed to the ground. "You are a fool, Khaesilya. You have cut yourself off from all sohees. You are alone in your struggle to fit in…" Aiselha gasped before she died.

Khaesilya walked on. The street was a mess of bloody puddles and empty clothes. As all sohees did when they died, Aiselha and her tribesohees slowly evaporated into a fine red mist that faded away into the night.

Khaesilya suddenly remembered the black-armored knight she was talking to earlier. "Alone?" she spoke at the dissolving red mist. "I am not, Aiselha. Even if I was, it would be a fate I gladly accept." With that, Khaesilya continued to run towards the cathedral. 'I cannot waste anymore time here…I must go to where Master Makaelthos is!" She noticed that the cathedral had stopped burning. Perhaps her master was safe but she had to see for herself.

* * *

A vicious roar resounded on the rooftops of Prontera. No one seemed to hear it though. With the orcs fighting outside their gates, the citizens had other places to look to other than their roofs. Baphomet roared again as he brought down his massive scythe against his elusive foe.

The doppelganger grinned and charged; slicing a gash across Baphomet's massive chest. The goat-demon responded by kicking him on the chest with a hoof. The force of the kick sent him flying backward for several feet. He steadied himself in time to stop himself from falling off the roof. "You're big, you old goat, but you kick like a little girl!" he taunted. Even as he continued taunting the demon, his chest throbbed painfully. He guessed that he was going to have a nasty-looking hoof print on his chest if he survived this battle. His partner, Osiris, was having problems against his opponent as well. The Dark Lord was casting spells faster than a troop of wizards. Osiris was hard pressed just trying to dodge the constant barrage of fire, ice and lightning that sprayed from the Dark Lord's fingertips.

Baphomet strode forward to attack him once again. "You grin and taunt as if you're winning, doppelganger." he snarled. "But I can sense you weakening! Soon, you will be the next to feed me with your essence!"

The doppelganger's eyes narrowed. "Next?" he asked. "And who exactly have you grazed on, goat?"

The goat-demon licked his fangs triumphantly. "While you and Osiris were busy playing with mortals, the Dark Lord and I have been hunting!" He bragged.

The crescent scythe cut through the air in a wide arc. The doppelganger jumped back in time to avoid the blow. 'Great!' he thought. 'The old goat's in the lead; maybe we should have finished Moonlight off while we had the chance.' he charged once again. This time, he had to try something different.

Baphomet raised his scythe for another two-handed blow but the doppelganger suddenly appeared behind him.

"Too slow! I've got you this time, Baphomet!" the doppelganger shouted triumphantly.

The broadsword thrust towards the goat-demon's back. The point would have buried itself into Baphomet's flesh if he had not managed to twist in time. Instead, the thrust delivered another gash on his side. He backhanded the doppelganger; sending the blond swordsman flying backward once again.

"Your partner is losing, Osiris!" the Dark Lord taunted. "But, then again, so are you!" He pointed a skeletal finger at the mummy; causing another blast of lightning to erupt forth. Osiris dashed forward and sidestepped the bolt. A bandaged fist swung towards the Dark Lord; smashing into his skeletal chest. The force of the blow was lessened, though, as it was dispersed by the barrier of blue energy that the Dark Lord had set up around him. Before the Dark Lord could retaliate, the horns from the orc tribes sounded once more. Even Baphomet hesitated at the sound.

"The mortals will be coming back from their battle soon." the Dark Lord said. "You've lost your chance, Osiris!"

Osiris's red eyes gleamed from his hood. "Run away then, Dark Lord. As I remember, their clergy is still after you." he growled.

The Dark Lord's sinister laugh slowly faded away as both the skeleton and the demon vanished. The doppelganger sat down and stared at the city. "So what do we do now, Osiris?" he asked.

Osiris watched the returning soldiers. "I did not expect the Dark lord and Baphomet to move so fast." he answered. "We have to adjust. It's time we finished Moonlight off while he is alone in the city."

The doppelganger grinned in anticipation.

"I'm with that!"

* * *

**Sohee Tribal Affiliation -** free sohees organize themselves into tribes led by a chieftain. Every sohee's tribe can be ascertained by the colors of the ribbons she wears; white and blue stand for MistStream, red and gold stand for StillBreath, black and red stand for Redlily while white and green stand for MoonWander. Sohee slaves generally discard their old ribbons and wear gray ones or whatever their masters provide.


	36. Partners

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 34: Partners**

"Good day, Lord Sialsanderin."

Makaelthos's impassive greeting broke the silence that had settled inside Eliarainne's room. Cafilex Sialsanderin did not seem to hear it from the way he stared imperiously at Makaelthos. Behind Cafilex, Eldorius Sevrisn smiled confidently at Eliarainne; who glared at the merchant; silently telling him to look away. There was another blacksmith with them who studied Makaelthos carefully.

"I doubt it if I can have a good day after meeting you, ditch knight." Cafilex answered. "I'll ask you again, "Sir" Makaelthos Solcry. What are you doing here?"

The term "ditch knight" grated on Makaelthos's nerves with each mention of it. Nonetheless, he did not show even a slight hint of irritation. Behind him, Eliarainne tried to stand up. She winced from the effort and failed. Her wounds were severe and numerous and her partner's healing capabilities were not on par with Silmeia's. Lightbearers, despite their focus, simply did not have the capacity of an actual priest. Makaelthos glanced at his partner before addressing Cafilex once again. "The First Knight Commander is injured and needs her rest, Lord Sialsanderin." He said. "Perhaps you can talk to her later."

Cafilex looked at his daughter sternly before staring at Makaelthos in derision. "Very well, "Sir" Makaelthos." He answered. "Let's talk outside instead."

Cafilex's voice dripped scorn with each mention of "Sir". Eldorius suppressed a snicker as he watched Makaelthos. He knew that Cafilex's attitude was bound to get to the thief-crusader soon. Just a little more and Makaelthos Solcry would reveal his true boorish self. Not that it would surprise anybody. "I will stay behind here if you don't mind, "Sir" Makaelthos." He said. "I'd like to see how my fiancée is doing."

Makaelthos looked like he was about to say something but decided against it. Instead, he gave a curt nod and left the room with Cafilex and the other blacksmith.

With the three of them gone, Eldorius immediately approached Eliarainne's bed. "Well, love, we're finally alone." He cooed.

Eliarainne glared at the merchant who smiled smugly at her. She was never in the mood for this pathetic "wooing". A rotting orc had much more appeal than this weakling of a man. "I suggest that you leave as well, Eldorius." She growled. "Before you regret being alone in a room with me!"

Eldorius continued smiling as he touched the knight's bed with one hand. The action alone hinted at his plans; which disgusted Eliarainne even more. "Oh come now." He said. "I'm sure you'll enjoy this as much as I will."

Eliarainne suddenly clutched her head. Her fury was starting to make it throb again. "Get out!" She snarled. "Get out before-!"

Eldorius didn't even seem to listen anymore as he moved closer to the knight. His hands grasped Eliarainne's and moved slowly to her arms. Before he could react, Eliarainne's hand suddenly grasped him by the throat and began to squeeze mercilessly. His eyes widened in panic as he tried to pry her fingers from his throat. It was useless; she had an iron grip that threatened to crush his windpipe. She squeezed even tighter; completely cutting off his supply of air. He looked to his fiancée. To his horror, her eyes had turned red. He began to panic as she spoke again. Her voice was low and raspy; laced with menace and an intense desire to kill.

"You weak, pathetic worm!" Eliarainne growled. "I swore I'd kill you if you tried anything like this!" She squeezed even harder. All she needed to do now was to twist her wrist to break this fool's neck. It was so easy that it almost made her laugh. Perhaps she should have done this a long time ago to everyone who got on her nerves. Her father for instance…

_"Eliarainne, stop!"_

The memory of her partner's words caused Eliarainne to release her grip. What was she doing? Killing Eldorius would still be murder. Eldorius Sevrisn gasped as he stumbled backwards. Eliarainne stared at her hand and then at the merchant. "I said get out" She shouted. "Do you want to die?"

Eldorius mustered a smile as he soon as he stood a good distance from her. "Feisty as ever." He wheezed. "It will be a great moment of triumph for me to subdue you at last, love."

Eliarainne clutched her head painfully. It was such a struggle to control herself these days even without wretched merchants provoking her. "Get out damn you! Baphomet rip that smug smile from your god-forsaken face!"

Eldorius did not seem daunted by the stream of curses that Eliarainne shouted at him. Instead of immediately fleeing, as was probably the wisest course of action, he blew a kiss at her. In response, Eliarainne raised a hand and made an obscene gesture she had once seen her partner use during their missions. Makaelthos had explained that he had learned the gesture from the backstreets of Morroc. When she asked for what it meant, he had hesitated first before explaining the gesture. The explanation somehow involved minorus mothers, sweet potatoes, a sidewinder and why some male assassins had a habit of holding their chins a lot. The gesture surprised Eldorius; who left her room in a hurry. Eliarainne sighed and lay back down on her bed. She wanted to hear what Makaelthos and her father were talking about but, in her current state, she knew that she would probably lose control again if she did.

* * *

The silence between Makaelthos Solcry, Cafilex Sialsanderin and the other blacksmith grabbed the attention of several onlookers. Many of them were knights from the First Knight Division division; soldiers concerned when they heard that their Knight Commander had been severely wounded in battle. They all stared from afar; having silently agreed with one another that only Sir Makaelthos Solcry could handle this situation properly. As they watched, they began commenting among themselves.

"It looks like Sir Makaelthos is finally staking his claim on the Knight Commander."

"He damn better stake it! He's the only one who could handle our war goddess without being carried away in a stretcher!"

"Cafilex is an ass. I wish he'd get killed by the orcs."

"That's impossible. The orcs would have to tear down every building in Prontera before they could find him!"

The knights were silently laughing among themselves when Cafilex finally spoke up. "I knew it would come down to this, ditch knight!" He said. "I let my daughter go to war while partnered to you and she gets badly injured while you're barely more than scratched!"

Makaelthos fought back a defensive retort. Trying to butt heads with Cafilex Sialsanderin would only worsen the situation. "Your daughter is a good knight, Lord Sialsanderin." He said. "One of the best, in fact, but that doesn't make her impervious to harm."

Cafilex continued to stare derisively at Makaelthos. He wanted to continue provoking the crusader until he snapped and started acting like the brutish thug that he was. Once that happened, he would have enough reason to have the ditch knight discharged from the army. "As I recall, "Sir" Makaelthos, Eliarainne wasn't supposed to be a knight in the first place." He said. "Then again neither were you supposed to be a crusader!"

Cafilex's words carried plainly to Makaelthos as well as the approaching sohee behind him. Khaesilya's hands immediately went for her stiletto. Nothing made her angrier than hearing someone question her master's right to carry the title of crusader. It spat on everything that she had witnessed him strive for. "No one insults my master like so!" She hissed as she rose from the ground. While she preferred to fight on the ground in order to distinguish her from other sohees, there were times when she was simply too angry to care. Her hair whipped about as if blown by a strong wind. A wail was about to emerge from her lips when Makaelthos's voice stopped her.

"That's enough, Khaesilya!"

Khaesilya settled down. As angry as she was at the insolence of the bearded blacksmith, she would never refuse a direct order from her master.

Cafilex recovered his composure from Khaesilya's threat and faced Makaelthos once more. "You will keep that slave in line or I will have her imprisoned and killed for attacking a human, do you understand?" He said. "Although it's natural that the slave be as vicious as her master!"

Before Khaesilya could retort, the other blacksmith interrupted them. "Look, I'm not here to listen to you two quarrel alright?" He said. "I've got a proposition for you, Sir Makaelthos Solcry. Hear me out first before you fight with Cafilex here."

Makaelthos nodded and shifted his attention the other blacksmith.

"My name's Nerthes Sevrisn." The blacksmith said. "I'm Eldorius's father and I was hoping you could settle this issue between my son and Cafilex's daughter."

Khaesilya stared suspiciously at Nerthes. The man was clean-shaven; with long, blonde hair was carefully brushed up from his face. His aquiline nose and gray eyes were similar to Eldorius's although he was considerably…heavier than his son. His girth was not muscles that came from constant forging but the fat that came from sitting around and counting money all day. The mere sight of this blacksmith would have been a personal insult to Kreizen. 'I don't trust this man, Master Makaelthos.' She spoke to her master mentally. 'Even though he speaks politely, he holds the same scorn for you as Eliarainne's father!'

Makaelthos gave Khaesilya a mental "nod" in response. He was used to veneers of politeness. Playing such facades was second nature to him. "I'm listening." He replied to Nerthes.

Nerthes rubbed his hands together. Makaelthos found the smug gleam in the blacksmith's eyes to be a bit…irritating. He certainly did not like the idea of this pot- bellied blacksmith being a father-in-law. Eliarainne would probably become even more of a drunkard and a berserker if she had to put up with these two blacksmiths. "You may have heard this from your "partner", Sir Makaelthos, but, as you should know, my son is engaged to Cafilex's daughter." He said. "Unfortunately, I have heard that she is "resisting" this arrangement."

Makaelthos recalled the night after Eliarainne visited her father. She had mentioned that her father wanted her to marry "some merchant". Eldorius's remark earlier had confirmed his suspicions and Nerthes's words stressed that truth.

"You're her partner aren't you?" Nerthes continued. "Maybe you could "convince" her to follow her father's wishes on this one. It would be for the good of both families as their union will provide an heir for both Cafilex's and my business as well."

Makaelthos's eyes narrowed in thought. The way Nerthes stressed some of his words was irritating. He was just as insulting as Cafilex but what irked Makaelthos more was that he was making some attempt at subtlety and his failure to do so was painful to listen to. Khaesilya's outraged voice sounded in his head.

'These people don't care for anything but the succession of their business, Master Makaelthos! They don't care about what Dame Eliarainne feels at all!'

Makaelthos's mental voice was calm as he replied to Khaesilya. 'I know that, Khaesilya, but I don't want Eliarainne's already strained relationship with her father to worsen because of me.' He answered. 'It would be better if I could make them see that it has to be Eliarainne who should make the decision to marry anyone.' To Nerthes, Makaelthos's voice was equally composed. "My partnership with Eliarainne puts me in no position to tell her what to do, Lord Sevrisn. Eliarainne should be the one to decide who to marry."

Nerthes stared disbelievingly at Makaelthos. "Look, I can pay you if you want." He said. "Doesn't the Crusader Code of Honor stress obedience? What about obedience to your parents?"

Makaelthos's eyes narrowed. The last thing he would have expected from either of these blacksmiths was a lecture on the Crusader Code of Honor. "Doing what is right is stressed far before obedience in our code, Lord Nerthes." He answered. "I believe that it is only right that I let Eliarainne decide for herself. She certainly is mature enough to do so."

All traces of pretense vanished from Nerthes's next reply. Makaelthos wasn't surprised. Breaking down facades and bringing out the truth was his job before, as a NightKnife enforcer, and it was still his job now, as a Pronteran crusader. "Have a care, Makaelthos Solcry!" Nerthes threatened. "I have connections within the Council of Cardinals. I could have you stripped of your prized crusaderhood!"

A hint of hostility crept into Makaelthos's voice. Soldiers died for Prontera right outside its walls and this fool had not even bothered keeping up with the latest news! "The Council of Cardinals is dead, Lord Nerthes." He replied tersely "Whoever your "contact" was within them is mostly likely dead as well." Nerthes was about to make an angry retort when Makaelthos cut him off. "And if you cause any trouble within the remaining Church hierarchy with some demand or if you cause any trouble for the First Knight Commander in anyway, I will arrest you myself for interfering with official army or Church business."

Nerthes glared at Makaelthos. "Arrest me?" He sputtered. "What gives you the right, ditch knight?"

Khaesilya bristled at the remark but Makaelthos's raised hand held her back. "It seems your knowledge of Pronteran law is lacking, Lord Nerthes. You're forgetting that I serve as a Crusader Specialist within the regular army. I possess more authority even over the Knight Commander when it comes to Church matters such as when some civilian is causing trouble with the Church hierarchy during a time of crisis." Seeing the unsure expressions on both Cafilex and Nerthes, Makaelthos continued. "To put it simply for you, gentlemen, I am an officer in the Regular Army. I can arrest you for meddling with army business; for causing trouble in the knight barracks by disturbing an injured Knight Commander and for attempting to bribe me."

Nerthes began to seethe. "Are you threatening me?" He hissed.

Makaelthos's expression hardened. "I am warning you, Lord Nerthes, of the consequences of your actions." He answered. "Your son's "fiancée" has sufficient rank and authority to arrest him without the need for a warrant. During this crisis, she could even execute him on the spot and make some trumped-up excuse about him secretly working for an immortal. No one would question her in the slightest. I suggest-" Makaelthos was about to say "you keep him on a short leash" but he stopped himself and used a more "respectful" method. "-that you ensure that he refrains from getting on her nerves."

Khaesilya had to smile at her master's response. Back when he was still a swordsman, he would have been probably less choosy with words. He would have told the blond blacksmith to "Keep his bastard anacondaq-spawn on a short leash to make sure he doesn't piss Eliarainne off and get himself gutted like a phen on the spot." She had to admire her master's patience with these two after they had done nothing but insult him.

Nerthes sputtered furiously; having run out of threats. It was Cafilex's turn to speak up. "You maybe "authorized" to arrest people, ditch knight, but that doesn't elevate your station from your true heritage." He snarled. "That you are nothing more than Morrocan alley-scum! How can a criminal in armor use the laws of our city? Your mere presence has polluted my daughter's mind completely. I swear I will find a way to get you exiled, or better yet, executed like the common criminal that you are!"

Makaelthos stared long and hard at Cafilex. "Threatening a Pronteran officer is punishable by indefinite prison time, Lord Sialsanderin." He replied. His voice lowered threateningly. "You will not appreciate being jailed given your infamous attitude towards the knights. The First Knight Division, in particular, will happily "interrogate" you for every crime they can think of and provide you with food of "interesting" quality. I'll let it go for now if you leave quickly."

Cafilex paled and then glared at Makaelthos one last time before storming off with Nerthes. Makaelthos breathed a sigh of relief and smiled almost apologetically at Khaesilya. "Well that didn't go so well." He said.

Khaesilya covered her mouth with a sleeve and giggled. "I think you handled them deftly enough, Master Makaelthos!" She said.

Makaelthos's expression grew wistful. Why was it that the he was angrier with those blacksmiths over their taking Eliarainne for granted than their constant referral him "ditch knight" and "Morrocan scum"? He made his way to the barracks amidst the scattered applauses from the First Knight division. Eliarainne's men found nothing more amusing than watching Cafilex Sialsanderin being told off. For them, it was as if the noon sun shined brighter after watching their Crusader Specialist deal with their Knight Commander's father.

"That's Sir Makaelthos for you! And he didn't even resort to violence!"

"He staked his damn claim alright!"

Makaelthos entered his own quarters. All of a sudden he felt extremely tired.


	37. Trust

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 35: Trust**

"What do you mean recklessness in combat?"

Trenzein's voice resounded inside the small room that served as the meeting place for the various wizard and hunter division commanders. While he did not lead any specific troops, he was asked to come by the Grand Wizard Commander. The other Wizard Commanders were silent as he stood from his seat. From the hunter side of the table, the new Second Hunter Commander stared coolly at his outburst. Seihanine sighed inwardly. She had hoped, despite the odds, that Trenzein would take the reprimand quietly. His reaction had caused by a reprimand from the Grand Wizard Commander, who mentioned that he had behaved recklessly by going ahead of the other wizard divisions to destroy a group of red high orcs.

"I knew full well that I would be able to destroy that unit of reds with the proper spell!" Trenzein argued. "And I did destroy them didn't I?"

Grand Wizard Commander Hakien Hyou stroked his graying goatee as he looked at Trenzein. He was well acquainted with the young generalist for two things; Trenzein Zaisen's exceptional spellcasting and his constant breaches of discipline. "That's not the point, Generalist Zaisen." He responded calmly. "I do not doubt that you did destroy that unit. What I am stressing is that, if your offensive had failed, those reds would have shifted their focus to the Second Wizard division's exposed flank."

Trenzein's golden eyes seemed to glow menacingly as he seethed. "Did you expect me to fail?" He asked quietly.

Hakien Hyou folded his hands in front of him. He had called this meeting of the long range offensive units to address the growing problem of the reduced number of priests. The hunter and wizard divisions of the Pronteran Regular Army were known collectively as "Long range offensive units" for their similar roles of providing fire power from behind the line of knights. It was for this reason why they often worked together in major army movements. The meeting had gone for two hours already. Some of the commanders were already complaining of growling stomachs. Hakien had made the comment on Trenzein Zaisen's recklessness as a reprimand. He did not expect the young man to react like this. "I expected you to have taken into account the consequences of your actions, Mister Zaisen!" He said sharply. "You would sacrifice a unit of wizards over an impulse? Nevertheless, this meeting is over. The rest of you are dismissed."

Sighs of relief came from practically everyone inside the room as they left. Everyone had left except for Hakien, Trenzein and Seihanine. Trenzein did not appear ready to back down.

"With all due respect, Grand Wizard Commander, I did not act on impulse!" Trenzein shot back. "I knew what the task entailed, what would happen if I failed and my chances of succeeding which was why I decided to go through with it!"

Before Hakien could reply, Seihanine smoothly cut in. "Trenzein, that's enough." She said. "The proper course of action back then would have been to redirect the focus of the entire Second Wizard Division towards that direction instead of going off on your own!"

There was a moment of silence inside the room as Trenzein stared at Seihanine. To Hakien Hyou, Trenzein looked at Seihanine as if she had shot at him from behind. The silence was momentary though, Trenzein's angry reply immediately broke it.

"Redirecting the focus of over forty wizards would have taken minutes, Second Hunter Commander." Trenzein spoke through grit teeth. "In those minutes those reds would have blindsided the already surrounded First Knight Division!"

Seihanine responded to Trenzein's angry stare with a cold stare. "The First Knight Division is quite capable of handling an attack from those reds, Generalist Zaisen." She responded.

Hakien Hyou sensed a huge amount of tension building up between the two. Despite this being still a part of the meeting, he was starting to feel out of place in the room; as if the two were a quarreling married couple and he was the unfortunate neighbor who had just dropped in for a visit and into the middle of their quarrel.

"Are you saying I'm not, Second Hunter Commander?" Trenzein asked.

Seihanine's voice still maintained a level tone as she spoke. "I'm saying that there were ways to handle that situation without gambling with your life." She answered.

Trenzein's voice took a menacing tone. Hakien Hyou tensed. Even an apprentice mage could tell that a tremendous amount of magic was building around the young man. 'It's those damned crazy eyes of his.' He thought. 'Why is it that all weird-eyed wizards have such powerful magical affinities?' Hakien remembered his encounter with another strange-eyed wizard. He remembered the man's crimson eyes and messy silver hair. If there was a man who could exemplify the words "power incarnate" it would have been that one. Trenzein's harsh reply broke his reverie.

"As I recall, Second Hunter Commander, your division was stationed around that area!" Trenzein went on. "It would have been your responsibility to cover the Second Wizard Division's flank while I handled those reds!"

Seihanine's next reply went from cold to frigid. "My division had just lost its commander at that time, Mister Zaisen!" She said. "I had to redirect the division's focus to cover for your antics!"

Trenzein's eyes began to glimmer with yellow light. "I didn't need your cover, damn you!" He spat. "I was quite capable of handling those reds and we wouldn't be having this worthless argument if you had minded your damned business by covering someone else and keeping the hell out of my way!"

Seihanine did not bother replying. Instead she stormed out of the room without another word.

Still seated, Hakien Hyou turned to face Trenzein. "You didn't mean that did you, Generalist Zaisen?" He asked.

Trenzein whirled on the Grand Wizard Commander as soon as Seihanine disappeared from sight. "Of course I didn't, you shriveled, old bastard!" He shouted. "Why in the Nine Hells would I possibly mean that?"

Trenzein stormed out of the room as well. Hakien hid an amused smile as he sat alone in the meeting room. The situation was so amusing that he actually let go generalist calling him a "shriveled old bastard". 'Kids these days.' He chuckled to himself.

* * *

Seihanine Xalascent walked briskly away from the meeting room and into the streets of Prontera. 'Fine!' She thought. 'He can roll over and die in his magic if he's so insistent! Why do I even bother?' She was too furious to see where she was headed so it was no surprise when she found herself in one of Prontera's many alleys. This place was different though. Despite it being noon, the alley was surrounded by shadows due to the surrounding buildings. She tensed as she heard the footsteps of someone behind her.

"Sei."

Seihanine recognized the voice at once. She turned around to find…

'There's no one there.' Seihanine thought. She readied her gakkung. Had she imagined hearing the voice? 'Now why would I be imagining Zein's voice?'

"Sei, I'm sorry."

Seihanine turned again. It was unmistakably Trenzein Zaisen from the voice but…

"I'm sorry that I…didn't get to rape you before you died!"

Seihanine froze. The voice was Trenzein's at first but it suddenly changed into someone else's around the middle. The voice was soft, feminine and frighteningly familiar. Soft laughter echoed in the abandoned alley.

"Sei…Sei…Sei…you didn't really expect Zein to grovel before you didn't you?" The voice asked. "You're a lot more arrogant than you're willing to show!"

Seihanine's eyes widened in surprise and realization as she recognized the voice that resounded all around her. "That's impossible!" She said in surprise. I-!" Seihanine cried out involuntarily as something cold and sharp sliced into her right leg. At once, the wound burned with intense pain. She squinted at the shadows, trying to catch a glimpse of her enemy. "Maiha Il-Xalascent!" She said the name with a mixture of disbelief and fury.

More soft laughter echoed in the alley. "The same, baby sister." Came the answer.

Seihanine simultaneously fired two arrows at the direction of her half-sister's voice. At once she regretted leaving Kalyx with Kreizen in her house.

"Oh, Sei…I've missed you a lot! Did you miss me too?" Maiha asked.

Someone jostled at Seihanine in the dark; knocking her down on one knee. Intense pain snaked up and down her leg. A dagger suddenly sliced deep into her right arm. Seihanine grit her teeth and grasped her arm. The wound was incredibly painful. "Maiha…how did you survive?" She asked.

The voice was silent for a while before speaking. Once more, Trenzein's voice came from the shadows. It was frighteningly strange to hear his voice. Seihanine knew that he wasn't there but it disturbed her all the same to hear him.

"I helped her, Sei. I always did love your half-sister more than you!" Maiha laughed once again. "Oh, how I love doing that!" She crowed. "Impersonating voices is such an interesting habit don't you think so?" She finally appeared from the shadows. Seihanine pointed her gakkung at her but she was quickly upon her half-sister. Malice and Fury cut into Seihanine's other arm. "I've hurt the tendons on your arms, baby sister." She cooed gently. "If you let them heal naturally, I doubt you'll ever pick up a bow in this life again."

Maiha kicked Seihanine in the chest; knocking her on her back. She then sat on her half-sister's belly and smiled as she pulled out the arrows that had buried themselves on her right shoulder. She tapped Seihanine's wounded leg delicately with Malys and smiled as Seihanine winced. "Painful isn't it?" She asked. "Bad as it is, baby sister, it won't kill you."

Seihanine stared defiantly at her older half-sister. "What's stopping you?" She asked. "I killed you once already!"

Maiha smiled sweetly and drew forth a vial of green liquid. "You know, baby sister, you're not going about your relationships properly." She said. "The idea is to bed them first before pretending that you're married. Not that Zein would ever really bed you. I mean you do have that nasty scar on your face."

Malice whipped about; cutting a vicious gash across the bridge of Seihanine's nose. Wincing painfully; Seihanine continued to stare defiantly at her half-sister. She blinked away some of the blood and continued to struggle. It was useless. The poison was getting to her and she didn't have enough strength to get her sister off.

"Zein wouldn't like that now." Maiha continued. "Especially with this." She suddenly shook small vial she was holding. The liquid inside began to bubble in reaction. She then uncorked the vial and dangled it in front of Seihanine. Still smiling, she let a single drop of the liquid fall into Seihanine's face wound. Seihanine winced once more as her wound began to sting. It was no secret that the liquid was Maiha's personal brand of poison. Extremely painful, slow-acting and never lethal. "Scream for me will you, baby sister? Just once…please?" Maiha laughed softly as she let more of the liquid drip onto Seihanine's wound. Seihanine locked her teeth. She refused to give Maiha the satisfaction. "You know what, Sei? I really don't think you're meant for Zein. I mean, you can't use a bow…you're all scarred and ugly…oh and one last thing…" Maiha rubbed her knives together and grinned.

"Zein doesn't like flat-chested women!"

Seihanine's eyes widened. She wasn't going to-!

Malice and Fury moved slowly towards Seihanine's chest while Maiha licked her lips. "This is going to be exquisite, baby sister." She giggled. "We'll start with the tips. Try your best to stay awake will you?"

Seihanine struggled furiously. Her wounds were aching badly now. All of a sudden, Maiha was flying away from her. Seihanine stared at her half-sister. Arcs of electricity coursed through Maiha. She then turned to see who had cast the spell.

"I should have killed you when I had the chance, Maiha!" Trenzein shouted.

Maiha laughed and stood up. Her multiple burns were smoking but she looked like she was enjoying every moment of it. "Zein!" She spoke as if she had just run into a long lost friend. "I'm so happy to see you! We were just discussing your tastes!"

Trenzein's only reply was another sphere of electricity. Maiha laughed and raised her arms as if trying to embrace the spell. The Jupitel Thunder flung her towards the shadows while Trenzein rushed towards Seihanine.

Soft laughter resounded all around them once more. "Oh, Zein. I could just stand here all day and get hurt by you…but unfortunately you've used up all of my time! Until next time I suppose!"

The voice faded away as Trenzein got Seihanine to sit up. His hand glowed softly as it passed over Seihanine's wounds. She grasped her gakkung and stared at him. Trenzein's healing capabilities were not even near Makaelthos's let alone Silmeia's. While her wounds did not close completely, the pain did ease and the blood stopped flowing. "You sounded like you knew that Maiha was back." She told him quietly.

Trenzein avoided Seihanine's gaze. "I did know." He admitted. "She attacked me last night."

Seihanine's eyes widened in surprise. "What? Why didn't you tell me?" She asked. "Maiha Il-Xalascent is my clan's problem!"

Trenzein looked at the shadows. "I wanted to kill her without having to tell you." He replied. I suppose that wasn't possible."

Seihanine stared at her leg's wound. Il-Xalascent…she had thought that it was a fate worse than death back then. To be cut off from your clan in Payon was to lose your connection to everything. But Maiha survived that. She survived her murderous vengeance as well…could her half-sister be actually killed? She suddenly paused and shifted her focus to Trenzein. "But what are you doing here?" She asked him.

Trenzein was silent. He started fidgeting and glanced at Seihanine from the corner of his eye. "Look…I'm…I'm sorry, okay?" He said haltingly. "I didn't mean that stuff I said. I was just...well...pissed at that old bastard's comments!"

Seihanine struggled to stop herself from smiling. It would be a blow to Trenzein's pride if she didn't take this seriously. Apologies from him were rarer than emperium. He didn't look like he was going to add anything else though. She tried to stand up and failed. Her wounds still ached. Trenzein put her arm around his shoulder and lifted her up. She failed to hide a smile this time. "Thanks." She said. "And I didn't mean to look down on you. I just-"

Trenzein pretended as if he heard nothing. Nonetheless, Seihanine's sharp eyes noticed a faint smile.


	38. Attracting opposites

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 36: Attracting Opposites**

"Good day, Sir Agranias."

Several passing acolytes bowed politely at Agranias as they were about to leave Baelthran's establishment. He acknowledged the greeting and smiled to himself. He was getting used to the idea of being greeted by friendly smiles. Besides, he was starting to make acquaintances among the citizens of Prontera; especially among the members of the Second Priest Division. "Good day to you too, Miss Uragi." he replied. "How goes your training?"

Airinn Uragi smiled cheerily. The smile made Agranias glad that these acolytes were not yet involved with the orcish invasion outside. War had a knack for taking away the ability to smile. Airinn's friends stood beside her this time. It was a mark of their growing familiarity with him that they no longer hid behind her out of fear or shyness. "We're doing fine, Sir Agranias." she answered.

Agranias nodded once again before returning to the meal he had ordered. While abysmal knights had little need for food or drink, he knew that it was only appropriate that he ate. It would make him seem unnatural if he lived without food or drink. The barkeep, a man named Baelthran, was friendly enough to serve him a meal without a fuss. Apparently, Baelthran had recognized him as one of Silmeia's "friends" while he was looking around the city for a place to eat. It was to his good fortune too. He had discovered another problem with his staying in Prontera; he had no money and no means to get to acquire some. Baelthran was kind enough to offer him a free meal. _"Far be it for me to let a defender of Prontera go hungry!"_ Baelthran had said.

The acolytes remained standing in front of Agranias. "Umm…Sir Agranias?" Airinn asked.

Agranias turned to face Airinn once again. She clearly had more to say. She tugged slightly at her creamy white robes as well as her blond hair. Her blue eyes looked around nervously as if she was afraid of someone overhearing. "Yes, Airinn?" he replied.

All three acolytes shifted nervously. "You're friends with Khaesilya, right?" Airrin asked.

Agranias stared at the acolytes curiously. He didn't realize that someone had seen him talking with Khaesilya last night. He was not that sure if they were friends already. He didn't even know what constituted being someone's friend. "I suppose we are." he said hesitantly. "What about it?"

The acolytes watched Agranias eagerly. Their eyes had lit up with excitement. "Then could you help us?" the asked. "It's about Sir Makaelthos Solcry."

Agranias raised an eyebrow. All he knew of Sir Makaelthos was that he was a good friend of Silmeia and that Khaesilya was incredibly loyal to him. "What does this have to do with Sir Makaelthos?" he asked.

The three acolytes seemed to speak almost in unison this time. "Khaesilya is Sir Makaelthos's sohee." they said. "He probably tells her everything!"

Agranias became even more perplexed. "Well…she hasn't told me much and-" he replied haltingly.

Airinn leaned intently towards Agranias. "Does she know if Sir Makaelthos and Dame Eliarainne are a couple?" she asked.

Agranias was silent after that question. A couple? Sir Makaelthos and Dame Eliarainne were two people and "couple" comprised exactly that. But that sort of answer was so obvious that there was no way it was the one the three were searching for. He also know that the crusader and the knight were partners in battle but he had the feeling that this was not the answer these acolytes were looking for either. "Well…" he answered. "She never told me anything about that."

All three acolytes looked downcast. Suddenly, Airinn looked up again. "What about you and Head Priestess Cafilence?" she asked.

Agranias was really confused now. What in the world did they mean by that? Before he could reply, a familiar voice cut him off.

"That's not an appropriate question to ask Sir Agranias, Airinn."

Surprised, the acolytes turned to see who was behind them. They nearly shrieked in terror when they found their Head Priestess looking sternly at them.

Silmeia looked apologetically at Agranias before reproaching the younger members of her division. The acolytes bowed in apology to her before departing hastily. Silmeia took a seat beside Agranias. "I'm sorry about that, Sir Agranias." she said. "Those three are always so curious about such matters."

Agranias watched Silmeia with concern for a while before relaxing. She seemed to be handling herself well after the incident in the cathedral. He was still a little concerned. Her cheeks were…red. Perhaps she was suffering from some sort of fever. Suddenly, he felt someone's elbow dig into his side. He turned around only to see the barkeep pass him with a strange smile on his pudgy face. Perplexed, he turned his attention back to Silmeia. "I don't mind." he answered. "They are good company."

Silmeia smiled and watched Agranias eat. He moved about with a clumsiness that was strange compared to how he moved about in battle. Against his enemies, Agranias was graceful and powerful. Among his allies, he was stiff and hesitant. From the way he ate, it was as if he had never handled a spoon and fork for a long time, if he ever handled them before. "I'm glad to see you're making friends." She told him.

Agranias allowed himself to smile. So even Silmeia believed that he was making friends. He wasn't sure how that exactly happened but he was glad of it. When he defeated Sir Gardzen in the arena, he had expected the citizens of Prontera to fear him. He could already envision the people running for their lives. Instead, a majority of the Second Priest Division took a liking to him. But even better than his unexpected friendships was that Silmeia was smiling again. "It's strange though" he answered. "They were asking about Sir Makaelthos and Dame Eliarainne. Something about...being a couple."

Silmeia laughed softly. Amusement practically danced in her eyes. "It's just like those three to ask about Makaelthos and Rainne!" she said. "They've been practically stalking those two for the past two weeks!"

Agranias was becoming confused again. "Stalking them?" he asked. "What for?"

Silmeia ordered a dish of her own and began to eat. Agranias looked to his own food in slight embarrassment. He could imagine himself looking crude next to her table manners. He was used to the soldierly company of his old troop. They often ate with their hands as they did not carry eating utensils with them. As a result, he was out of practice. It didn't help that the utensils he had been provided with were so small and fragile.

"Those three have a crush on Makaelthos." Silmeia answered. "It's a bit of a nuisance, really. It's hard to keep their attention focused on their training especially if he's inspecting my division with me."

Agranias was listening intently now. "But isn't Sir Makaelthos partnered with Dame Eliarainne?" he asked. "That would make them a couple, right?"

Silmeia shook her head. "They were talking about a different "coupling" other than partnership, Sir Agranias." she answered. "They were probably asking you if Makaelthos and Rainne were lovers."

Agranias stared blankly at Silmeia. Lovers? Was loving some sort of specialization? "Are they?" he asked.

Silmeia was silent for a while. "I think Rainne's always liked Makaelthos even when they were still swordies." she said. "Five years of fighting side by side with him did a lot to deepen that feeling. As for Makaelthos…" Silmeia's expression grew serious. It was easy to tell with Eliarainne as they had known each other since they were novices. Makaelthos was still a mystery to her. "...I don't think he's completely ignorant of it. His awareness of things happening around him is uncanny. It's like he's pretending that he doesn't know because he's afraid of something happening."

Agranias felt the conversation was getting too serious. He was about to change the subject when another thought entered his mind. "Then what Airinn was saying earlier about us was-?"

Silmeia reddened, much to Agranias's concern. Was she suffering from a sickness? The priestess did look tired.

"Don't take them seriously, Sir Agranias. She said. "It's just that-" Silmeia stopped herself. It's just that…what? All of a sudden she was at a loss for words. All this talk about couples and love was making her blush furiously and, by the way Agranias was staring at her, it was most likely that he had noticed. "Nevermind…just don't mind them, Sir Agranias." she finished.

With that, the both of them ate the rest of their meal in silence.

* * *

Sir Kinzek Veltis did not consider himself a hired thug. The term was too…crude. Swordsmen were hired as thugs, as were thieves. He was a knight. Sure, Sir Gardzen had paid him well to do this; just as the big knight paid the two assassins with him right now. He liked to consider himself as a…part-time mercenary. The term certainly sounded better. But as much as his part in this "sounded" better, he was not exactly thrilled by what he was about to do. 'That ass, Gardzen, I could get executed for this!" he thought. He didn't exactly have a choice in the entire matter though. Gardzen was pretty persuasive; especially while emphasizing his point with a claymore. Besides, as much as he wasn't sure about this, the prize was worth it in the way. It was such a shame that they had to "share" her, though. 'Not that I would mind…if only I went first!'

It was an hour past noon when Kinzek watched his target leave the tavern. To his luck, the Second Head Priestess Cafilence was not accompanied by the black-armored knight who was often by her side these days. The idea of fighting Sir Agranias would be a waking nightmare for him. Now that he thought about it, Sir Agranias was likely the reason that Gardzen had resorted to this. Ever since the duel with Sir Agranias, Sir Gardzen became a laughingstock among the knights and a sort of pariah among the priests. No one from any of the priest divisions wanted to heal his broken jaw except for the weird priest with the strange robes; the priest that Sir Gardzen had been spending a lot of time with lately. "Well, that's that, men." he told the two assassins with him. "Time for us to move."

The two assassins beside Kinzek promptly vanished. He began to follow Silmeia from a distance. Their attempting this in broad daylight made it much harder but, if Gardzen was right, now was probably the only chance. "Excuse me, Second Head Priestess!" he called out. He approached Silmeia with a fake smile on his face. It was one of Second Head Priestess Cafilence's weaknesses that she was so trusting.

As he expected, she stopped to listen to him. "You're Sir Kinzek Veltis of the Fourth Knight division, correct?" she asked. "Is there something you need?"

Kinzek scratched his red hair apologetically. "The Grand Knight Commander asked me to fetch you for an emergency meeting." he answered. "Apparently he would like a change on the assigned support for the knight divisions."

Silmeia nodded wearily. She had already attended several meetings with regards to that situation. Another one was not welcome but, if it was from the Grand Knight Commander himself, she really had no choice. "Very well, lead the way then, Sir Kinzek." she replied.

Kinzek grinned as soon as he turned his back on Silmeia. Things were going as planned. "Walk this way then, ma'am." he said. He led her to one of the abandoned houses to the east side of Prontera. Just a bit more and-

"Wait a minute, Sir Kinzek, we've never used this house for our meetings before!" Silmeia protested.

Ignoring her, Kinzek opened the door to the house; revealing a dark interior. The inside was devoid of any furniture and the dilapidated columns and walls showed that this house had long been abandoned. "The truth of the matter is, Silmeia, we were planning on discussing something else." he said.

Before Silmeia could react, a pair of assassins passed her from behind. She felt something prick her neck. "Kinzek!" She exclaimed. "What are you-?" Silmeia froze. Those assassins had pricked her with mouth darts for one reason only. Sure enough, her vision started blurring."Kinzek, you-"

Kinzek grinned and caught Silmeia as she pitched forward and fell unconscious. It was so easy.

* * *

Agranias continued to walk the streets of Prontera after his meal. The early afternoon was pleasant enough to stay outdoors. Besides-

_'What are you doing here, Agranias?'_

Agranias stopped. This was not the first time someone had spoken to him through thoughts. It used to be the main means of communicating with him by his creator. 'Who are you?' he responded. 'Where are you?'

The telepathic voice was calm as it answered._ "The priestess is in danger, Agranias. Do as I say and you just might save her.'_

Agranias had no idea who or what this voice was. The last time he heard such a voice, he was still fighting for Glastheim. However, he did not want to ignore the possibility of Silmeia in danger.

* * *

Gardzen grinned as he stared at the unconscious priestess before him. "Silmeia…I finally have you where I want you." he whispered to himself. He began to take off his armor. Just to be sure, he had priestess was bound tightly to prevent any resistance.

"Save some for us, Gardzen." one of the assassins nearby said.

The two assassins chuckled among themselves while Kinzek looked on worriedly. "Are you sure we should be doing this, Gardzen?" he asked. "The city needs its priests remember?"

Gardzen laughed harshly. 'And to think you actually gave yourself to that blackened monster.' he thought. To Kinzek, he merely snorted. "It's not like we're going to kill her, Kinzek. We'll just have some fun and then put her back. She'll think this was all a dream."

Kinzek grinned in agreement. "Just don't keep her all to yourself, Gardzen." he said. "We all have our turns remember?"

Gardzen nodded and waved a hand dismissively. "Fine, fine, just get out of the room already!" he said.

The assassins and Kinzek chuckled among themselves once more before preparing to leave. Suddenly, the already darkened room inside the mansion seemed to get darker.

_"You've done well, Gardzen Haelungrein. By following your lust, you've ensured the success of my plan."_

Gardzen looked about. "Who's there?" he called out. "Show yourself!"

The voice whispered one word in a strange tongue. Suddenly, Gardzen found himself completely immobilized. Judging by the look on his companions, he realized that he wasn't the only one. To their surprise, a man in strange-looking priestly robes materialized before Silmeia's unconscious form. Gardzen recognized the priest. It was the same priest he had been talking to for several days; Abraxil Sovivor, he had introduced himself.

"It looks like the stage is set for my little drama…just one more puppet to make it all work." Abraxil said. He bent over Silmeia's unconscious form and began to tear her dress apart in some places. He also cut away her bonds.

"Abraxil, what are you doing?" Gardzen asked in confusion.

After he had torn apart a good portion of Silmeia's dress, Abraxil approached the immobilized Gardzen and smiled. "A little false witnessing you might call it, Sir Gardzen." he answered. "Be sure to commend me when Agranias sends you all to the abyss."

With another word, Abraxil disappeared, allowing all of them to move once again. As if on cue, the doors to the room burst open. Sir Agranias stood in front of them; a massive, black-bladed sword gleamed in his hand. He took one look at Silmeia and began to advance on them.

Kinzek raised his hands. "Now look, Sir Agranias, things are not what you think they are-!"

Agranias cut the knight off. His voice was frighteningly calm and soft. He sounded as if killing them would be just business. "No words." he said softly. "You will all die."

The black blade lashed out so fast that, when Kinzek's head rolled to the ground, his expression was still that of someone trying to explain. His throat spurted blood from the horrid opening the sword left; spattering on Gardzen and the two assassins before dropping to the ground. Blood pooled from the severed head; spreading all over the floor. Seeing that words would not get them anywhere with the Agranias; the two assassins charged.

Agranias calmly stood his ground and switched to a fighting position that none of them had seen him use in the battle against the orcs. "You frail lumps of worthless flesh." he said.

The dark blade cleaved the first assassin's waist almost effortlessly; cutting him into two neat halves. Blood spattered on one wall as both halves crashed to the ground with a dull thud. The second assassin ducked the dark blade as it passed through his comrade and straight at him. Agranias caught him by the neck, though. His fingers closed in quickly. The force was so great that his grip "popped" the second assassin's head off. Agranias shook his hand, getting rid of the blood and pieces of throat that clung to it before turning to face Gardzen. "I let you live once, Gardzen." he said. His voice quivered now; the veneer of calm cracking in many places. "It looks like that was the next biggest mistake of my existence."

Gardzen raised his claymore. He had removed the upper part of his armor already and he knew how powerful Agranias was. He suddenly heard a prayer chanted from behind him. A soft glow surrounded him like some sort of barrier. He knew better though. This was the spell Silmeia used on her enemies before she blasted them with holy light. This spell was-

Gardzen saw Silmea rise behind him. An expression of utter loathing marred her usually beautiful face. It was a big mistake for him to change his focus. By the time he returned his gaze to Agranias, the black knight was already directly in front of him; dark blade poised for a killing strike. He raised his sword to block the attack.

The soft glow that bathed Gardzen exploded as soon as Agranias's sword met the claymore. The oridecon blade of the weapon snapped in two as the dark blade descended.

Gardzen's skull practically exploded when the sword finally struck him. The blade tore through his chest all the way to between his legs. Two bloody, headless chunks crashed to the floor.

Agranias focused every ounce of his strength into one killing blow. The effort was so intense that not only did his blow tear through his enemy; it struck the floor of the mansion with a loud crash. A small crater had formed beneath the weapon. He felt the red haze of fury clear from his vision. He had taken his revenge on those who dared to attack Silmeia but in the process he had killed mortals once again. She stared at him for a long moment. Both of them were breathing heavily from their efforts.

Silmeia stared at Sir Gardzen's remains. While it was Agranias who killed him, it was her spell that ensured his doom. She had killed the knight. 'I had to, he was…' She thought. She recalled the brief horrifying moment when she woke up to find her dress torn and Gardzen standing in front of her. For that moment, the only thing that she felt was utter hate. Whoever did this had to die and she was willing to do anything to make it happen. Later, when she had cast the Lex Aetherna spell, she realized that Gardzen may have tried but he had failed. "Agranias, I…h-he didn't…" She stuttered.

Silmeia watched as a look of relief replaced Agranias's furious expression. Before she could continue her halting explanation, though, Agranias pulled her close into a crushing embrace. Her eyes widened.

"I-I was frightened when I saw you there." Agranias spoke. "I thought he had-"

Silmeia freed her arms from Agranias and put them around his neck. "He didn't." she said. "You were there…you were…"

It was Agranias's turn to be surprised the moment he felt Silmeia's lips touch his own. He had no idea what was happening. He had seen occasional glimpses of this kind of action on the streets of Prontera but he never truly knew what it meant until now. The feeling was…incredible, no, it was beyond that… the taste, the softness…for some reason he could somehow understand why Gardzen did what he did. Instinctively, he held Silmeia even tighter as he kissed her back.

* * *

The halls of Glastheim echoed with the triumphant laughter of the Dark Lord.

"Excellent! How wonderful love is!"

Baphomet stared at his ally dubiously. Even he could barely understand his undead ally. The Dark Lord's eyes flared.

"As I planned."


	39. Memories

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 37: Memories**

Kreizen Xalascent's smithy rang with the sounds of metal striking against metal. He was forging again. He pounded the metal vigorously, as if he were able to keep the gloom of Prontera's mounting problems away from his shop with each ringing strike. He wasn't forging alone this time though. "Are you sure you just want to watch me there, Moonlight?" He asked in between each blow.

Kreizen watched Moonlight curiously when she smiled and nodded. He had always known that few non-blacksmiths ever had the patience for forging. The heat was oppressive and the process was both repetitive and time-consuming. Yet this girl insisted on watching him work. He did not mind though having an "audience" though. Some blacksmiths hated onlookers because they couldn't concentrate. He dismissed such reasons as excuses for insecurity and poor performance under pressure. He liked to maintain that true craftsmen could forge their specialties anywhere and anytime if they were provided with the proper materials.

"Do you mind, Mister Kreizen?" Moonlight asked.

Kreizen smiled in return and shook his head. "Not at all! I'm happy to see you're interested in the blacksmith's craft!"

Kreizen smiled again as he saw the girl blush and take as seat near him. He had always thought that young girls looked cute when they blushed. Not that he was used it. Seihanine wasn't they type to let anything show on her face even when they were still kids. 'Not that it's Sei's fault.' He thought. He began to hammer at the long, oridecon shaft. Unlike swords, lances were somewhat simpler to make. With the right wielder and the proper circumstances, a lance dealt more devastating blows than a sword. It took a bit longer to make them, however, as they were larger and heavier than swords and they required more material. His smile lessened as Moonlight's presence reminded him of when he was younger.

* * *

_"Are you taking any longer, Reiz?"_ _Seihanine asked as she sat impatiently on a box of steel bars while her brother hammered at a piece of oridecon. _

_Kreizen shook his head disapprovingly at his younger sister. At the age of seventeen, Sei lacked the patience for any exacting job. "You're being too impatient, Sei." He told her. "If I rush my work than I'll leave flaws on this dagger."_

_Seihanine looked at the pile of cracked daggers beside her brother. "You're still leaving them even if you go slowly, Reiz."_

_Kreizen shrugged his shoulders sheepishly. "Hey, that's why I'm practicing, right?"_

_Seihanine let out an impatient sigh, much to her brother's amusement. Kreizen inspected the dagger he was forging. No cracks this time. "Why don't you go see that friend of yours, Sei?" He asked. "Kherlen, right?"_

_Seihanine twirled a lock of her light blue hair on her fingers. "Kherlen's an idiot, Reiz." She answered. "Just yesterday, we were hunting savages when he started blathering about my hair or something."_

_Kreizen laughed. He had noticed Kherlen's infatuation from afar. It was a pity that Seihanine was both uninterested and blunt about such matters. "Did you listen?" He asked. "He may be trying to express something!"_

_Seihanine frowned at her brother's hinting. "I told him to shut up before some savage spotted us." She replied. "He looked shocked at me right before a savage mauled him from behind."_

_Kreizen raised an eyebrow. "How bad was it?" He asked.  
_

_It was Seihanine's turn to shrug her shoulders. "He's badly bound up. It'll take him a week to recover."_

_Kreizen laughed again. That was probably the third archer his sister had led to some mishap. "Well they'll all probably make good bards or something!" He kept on laughing until he felt the dagger shatter under his hammer._

_"Damn!"_

* * *

Kreizen suddenly laughed at the memory, much to Moonlight's surprise. "Mister Kreizen?" She asked.

Kreizen grinned at the girl as he plunged the oridecon shaft into the fire. He was surprised that even the smallest actions he took had an effect on her. "It's nothing, Moonlight!" He told her. "Just a funny memory."

Moonlight smiled again and leaned on her chair to watch the forging better. Kreizen waited until the shaft started glowing. "You know, Moonlight, you remind me of Sei when she was younger." He said.

Moonlight tilted her head slightly. "You mean Miss Seihanine?" She asked. "I don't think she likes me."

Kreizen shook his head. "It just takes time for Sei to warm up to anyone, that's all." He assured her. "You have to have a blacksmith's patience for these things." He chuckled slightly as he withdrew the lance from the blaze. "Or a wizard's." He added.

More memories came to mind.

* * *

_"That arrogant, spellcasting bastard!" Seihanine fumed. What did he mean by kobold-like?"_

_Kreizen laughed at his sister as he pounded a chain into shape. "Well, you did compare his hair to a tuft of grass, Sei." He remarked.  
_

_Seihanine twirled a lock of her hair on her fingers and stared at it. "It doesn't look like a kobold's, does it?" She asked him.  
_

_Kreizen smiled and looked at his sister. "Of course not, it's certainly more beautiful than a kobold's." He assured her. "Besides, Zein was just joking!"_

_Seihanine nearly allowed herself to smile. "His hair does look like a tuft of grass sometimes, brother." She said. "I don't understand why he can't take the time to groom it."_

_Kreizen plunged the chain into the fire. Chains were a bit trickier to forge as he had to keep the links flexible and strong at the same time. "Well, you know these mages, Sei." He said. "They have to have their own styles and all."_

_Seihanine sat on the box of oridecon bars and watched her brother patiently. "He's different from most of the mages we've met, Reiz." She went on. "He's…weird."_

_Kreizen laughed again. "You mean interesting don't you, Sei?" He teased her.  
_

_Seihanine looked away and Kreize laughed louder. It was rare to see his younger sister blush at anything._

_"No I don't, Reiz! Stop putting words in my mouth!"_

* * *

Kreizen pounded the mixture of star crumbs and a mystic frozen into the lance. Things were different now. From an over-serious archer, Seihanine had become a highly-skilled huntress. Trenzein had improved from a brash mage to a powerful wizard. The improvements weren't all good though. He missed his silly "talks" with his sister. Now, every time Seihanine discussed something with him it was always about something grave. Trenzein was hardly any different. Even though he was generally cheerier than the moody huntress, he also seemed to talk about nothing but problems these days.

"More memories, Mister Kreizen?" Moonlight asked him.

Kreizen nodded. "I always think about these things while I'm forging. It actually helps in keeping my focus." He said.

Moonlight's expression saddened. "I think it's great that you have so many memories, Mister Kreizen." She said.

Kreizen looked at Moonlight in concern. "How about you?" He asked. "Anything?"

Moonlight clutched her head as if she was trying to squeeze a memory out by force. "Nothing." She answered glumly.

Kreizen dipped the lance into the barrel of oil to cool. A bitter smell rose followed by the hissing of sizzling oil. "Don't worry so much, Moonlight." He told her. "I'm sure it'll all come back soon."

Moonlight looked up at Kreizen. "Umm…Mister Kreizen?" She asked.

Kreizen raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Moonlight?"

Moonlight shifted nervously. "If I can't…remember anything…can I…stay with you? As in…always?"

Kreizen smiled cheerfully. "Of course you can! I'll be glad to take care of you, Moonlight!"

Moonlight smiled happily and leaped from her sitting position. Before Kreizen could react, she had hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much, Mister Kreizen!" She exclaimed.

Kreizen held the girl's shoulder with one hand and ruffled her hair with the other. This was a trait Moonlight did not share with Seihanine. His sister wasn't what he would call…affectionate. He didn't mind though, she had other ways of showing that she cared. Not that she had much to smile and laugh about for the past five years especially after the incident with their half-sister, Maiha Il-Xalascent.

* * *

_Kreizen stared at his half sister in horror. "Maiha!" He cried out. "What have you done?"_

_The assassin stared at the blacksmith before smiling sweetly. The smile made Kreizen sick as he looked at the dead bodies all around them. "They wanted to have fun, Reiz." She answered. "I wanted to have fun too."_

_Kreizen's face contorted in fury. "Those are our relatives, Maiha!" He shouted. "How could you butcher them in this fashion?"_

_The assassin licked some of the blood on her lips. "Quite simple really." She answered. "I poisoned their food and then I gutted them while they were writhing in agony."_

_Quivering with rage; Kreizen raised his two-handed axe. "You heartless devil! Why did you do this?" He asked her.  
_

_Maiha twirled her gladius about and began to cut at her own flesh. "Because they deserved it!" She hissed. "Besides, it felt so good that I would have done it for pleasure alone!"_

_Kreizen froze briefly in shock. It was Maiha…It was Maiha all along... Before he could react, he heard a strangled cry behind him. He whirled to see who it was._

_"Maiha!" Seihanine cried out in a rage.  
_

_An arrow whizzed past Kreizen and straight into the Maiha's chest. The wound was not lethal though. The arrow had buried itself high on Maiha's chest; near her shoulder. Seihanine fired another arrow furiously. _

_Maiha laughed and dodged the shot with ease. "I don't know how you can aim past all those pathetic tears you're shedding, baby sister!" She taunted. "Apparently, reaching huntress status was not enough for you to even hope to…pleasure me."_

_Seihanine fired more arrows only to miss with all of them. "I'll kill you!" She snarled. "I swear I'll kill you somehow, Maiha!"_

_Kreizen rushed forward and delivered an overhead slash. _

_Maiha laughed again and leapt out of an open window. "Good luck then, baby sister! I'll be waiting in Glastheim!"_

_Seihanine fell to her knees and started sobbing. In one terrible attack, Maiha Il-Xalascent had all but wiped out their clan._

* * *

Kreizen's expression became grim even as he held Moonlight, who seemed rather…comfortable in their position in just standing there, embracing him. 'It was all downhill after that.' He thought.

* * *

_The oridecon-tipped arrow flew true._

_Maiha stared at the shaft of wood that had plunged into the middle of her chest. For a moment, she watched the fatal wound in fascination. She then switched her focus to the huntress who fired the arrow. "Why, baby sister…you killed me!" She said softly.  
_

_Seihanine was silent as she stared hatefully at her half-sister. Kreizen heard the sound of bones crashing to the ground followed by weird, hollow laughter. The wizard, Trenzein Zaisen, had made good of his promise to defeat the wraiths. _

_Maiha grabbed the arrow and yanked it out. Blood spurted from the open wound. "Delicious…delicious…delicious…" She began to giggle. Maiha started laughing. It was a sick, horrible laughter of madness. She staggered back and plunged into the chasm behind her. Even as she disappeared from their sight, her laughter continued to echo within the halls of Glastheim._

* * *

Kreizen shook his head to clear it of such unpleasant memories. Maiha was dead. There was no need to remember her at all besides...

"Well, this is a bit touching." Someone spoke from the shop's entrance.

Kreizen turned to see who was at his door. He let go of Moonlight quickly. He remembered the last time someone had caught him in a…compromising situation with her. To his surprise, he found himself staring at a blond swordsman.

"Moony!" The doppelganger said cheerily. "So this is where you're hiding out! What are you doing hugging men? Is this a new hobby of yours?"

Moonlight backed away from the swordsman in fright. She did not like the presence he exuded.

Kreizen stood protectively before her. "What do you want from her, doppelganger?" He asked cautiously.

The doppelganger scratched his head in annoyance. "I don't know why you people keep calling me "doppelganger"!" He said. "My name's Joe! Joe Buck, damn it!"

Kreizen grasped his two-handed axe tightly. For some strange reason, the doppelganger was interested with Moonlight. Suddenly, a flash of light enveloped the girl. The doppelganger blinked and put a hand up to cover his eyes. Kreizen closed his eyes momentarily. When the light dissipated, Moonlight was gone.

"Damn it!" The doppelganger cursed. "He got away again! Osiris-I mean Seiros is going to be pissed!"

Kreizen drew his weapon from its harness. "What did you do, doppelganger?" He asked. "And what do you mean "he"?" The doppelganger looked incredulously at him in return.

"You don't know? I suppose that's why you were hugging "her"! Go look for your girlfriend if you want to know!"

The doppelganger left the shop; leaving Kreizen to his thoughts.

'Moonlight…why is she involved in this?'

* * *

Moonlight Flower stared at his feminine hand. He still couldn't transform! He could cast a teleportation spell and access most of his powers but he couldn't change forms! What was worse was that the doppelganger and Osiris were hunting him! His only option was to stay with the blacksmith. But the longer he stayed with Kreizen Xalascent, the harder it was to take over the fox maiden.

"I think I'm beginning to understand…you never learn do you, fox maiden?"

The cat-being walked the streets of Prontera once more. Now was the time to take precautions…


	40. Night

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 38: Night**

'Zein.'

The name entered Maiha Il-Xalascent's mind as she staggered along Prontera's maze of alleys. She stifled a moan as one of her many burns rubbed against a rough stone wall. It was extremely hard to do though. Being struck by two jupitel thunders from Trenzein Zaisen was…ecstasy. She loved the feeling of being electrocuted and then burned by powerful, magical energies. To see her own flesh sizzle and smoke…it was giddying. While she preferred physical wounds over those caused by magic, there was something in getting struck by Trenzein's spells that made the experience wholly satisfying. Perhaps it was the way his golden eyes glowed so menacingly when he started to cast spells; she wasn't sure about such things. One thing was sure though. The thought of being hurled to the ground by another sphere of concentrated electricity made her giddy with anticipated pleasure. Suddenly, her legs gave way beneath her; causing her to collapse on the ground. She quivered ecstatically as her burns scraped against the pavement producing a delightfully stinging sensation that made her shiver some more. She tried to stand again but her knees failed her. She was too hurt to even pick herself up. 'I'll be staying here until I can move then.' She thought.

Maiha mustered a smile as she closed her eyes. She imagined that she must look pathetic right now. Face-first on the ground, helplessly immobile and utterly vulnerable; she didn't want her half sister to find her now. Seihanine would likely end things too quickly. Perhaps Trenzein would be different. He would make her suffer so much before finishing things. The though of being tortured by him made her sigh; it was unlikely to happen anyway.

_'Maiha.'_

The voice made her shiver in the late afternoon sun. The sinister quality to it that hinted of great and ancient evil was…seductive. There was only one being on Rune-Midgard who would link his mind to hers. 'I'm here.' She answered.

The voice whispered gently in Maiha's mind; mentally caressing her psyche. She could almost feel the skeletal fingers run down her cheek and neck.

_'You have other things to do other than lying there.'_

Maiha chuckled softly to herself. 'It's not that I don't want to move.' She answered.

The voice was silent for a while._ 'I suppose even you have your limits, Maiha. You're only human after all.'_

A sudden wave of sickening pain passed through her body. She gasped involuntarily and tried holding her delight in. She wanted to squeal and moan; to writhe with the intense pleasure that he was magnanimous enough to give her. Still, it was…embarrassing to squeal like a child in the presence of this being. He was, after all, her employer. Her breathing came out in short and quick gasps as she watched the burns on her body vanish. The healing was strangely and wonderfully painful. It was like someone was forcibly taking hold of her flesh and stitching it back together with a rusty needle. She would kill anyone, do anything, just to feel it constantly.

_'You're enjoying yourself I see…your job is not finished, Maiha. You know what else you have to do.'_

Maiha rose to her feet. She was completely restored to full health and was ready to finish the rest of her mission.

* * *

"Where is that woman?"

Koullufen Aethernas paced inside his study furiously. The assassins he sent against that grass-haired upstart, Trenzein Zaisen, had yet to return from their mission the other night. Darkness had already settled on Prontera once again and there was still nothing. He hated Trenzein Zaisen. That arrogant bastard had a lot of nerve; barging into the Magic Academy Council with his ridiculous spell revision. However, this wasn't the actual reason why he wanted Trenzein dead though. No, the reason was actually simpler.

"Good evening, Mister Aethernas. You look agitated."

Koullufen turned to see who had the nerve to sneak into his study. Even though he was only renting the place out during his stay in Prontera, he took great efforts to maintain his privacy. A glimpse of the intruder made him realize how it was breached so easily. "Don't you ever use doors, "Abraxil Sovivor"?" He asked. He spoke the name sarcastically. The priest in front of him was arrogant, at the very least, to name himself after the legendary Abraxil Sovivor of Glastheim. Abraxil smiled and said nothing. He did, however, take a seat. Koullufen continued to pace the room. It would be dangerous if the assassins were caught and made to confess. Still, he had plenty of alibis to counter any accusation. "Your assassin is taking her damn time, Abraxil!" He said.

Abraxil's smile widened. "I've recommended the best non-NightKnife assassin money can buy, Koullufen." He replied. "Would you rather have had another meeting with Trynis Eviskrae?"

Koullufen shuddered at the thought. At first, he wanted to enlist the aid of the famed NightKnife guild to handle Trenzein Zaisen. However, the guild mistress, Trynis Eviskrae, refused his offer; saying that Trenzein was "part of her right hand man's close circle of friends". He had no idea what she meant and pressed the matter; offering her more money. Trynis had drawn her knife back then; a black, curved blade that looked like a fang from some gigantic and horrible monster. She had pointed it at his neck in a silent threat. NightKnife made the final decision on which it killed and left alive, she said. In the blink of an eye she had gone from his study. For this reason, he had to rely on a non-NightKnife assassin to the job. It was hard to accomplish that though. Prontera was NightKnife's territory and freelancing was frowned upon. Any assassin who practiced his trade without permission from the criminal guild would be hunted down and killed. He had later met Abraxil Sovivor, who recommended an assassin willing enough to risk the wrath of NightKnife.

The female assassin, Maiha Il-Xalascent, seemed the professional type. She would have been the perfect assassin save for a few…unsavory practices she had such as nibbling on her fingers idly until they started bleeding and slicing minor wounds on her arms. Her name also piqued Koullufen's interest. It was a practice among the Payonese noble clans to add "Il" to the last names of those they banished from their clan. "Il-Xalascent" meant that she was once a part of the famed Xalascent clan, a Payonese family known for its dancers and blacksmiths. The clan was all but gone now. He had heard that most of their members were killed in Glastheim. It was a wonder that this assassin survived the extermination of her former clan. It also happened to be that two of Trenzein Zaisen's friends were from Clan Xalascent. Was there a connection? "Your assassin is insane, Abraxil!" He accused the priest.

Abraxil did not seem bothered with the remark. "Is that a "bad" thing, Koullufen?" He replied.

Koullufen stopped pacing. "It is if she gets caught!"

Abraxil Sovivor suddenly looked at the door to the study. "Then why don't you ask her for yourself if she's efficient?" He asked.

The door to Koullufen's study burst open as Maiha Il-Xalascent entered the room with a slow and easy grace. She smiled sweetly at Abraxil before facing the wizard. "Trenzein Zaisen is dead, Koullufen." She said softly.

Koullufen clapped his hands together. "Excellent!" He said. "But where is your partner?"

Maiha suddenly licked her lips. Her smile widened slightly. "He was…careless."

Koullufen shook his head in disappointment. He wanted to hear a report from the other one. He was suspicious of Abraxil Sovivor's assassin. "Do you have proof?" He asked.

Maiha tossed a bloody magic instructor's hat on the floor. Koullufen immediately recognized it as Trenzein Zaisen's. Finally, he was rid of that upstart! He opened a drawer and drew forth a large bag of zenny. "You have done well, Maiha Il-Xalascent, your pay-" He started.

Maiha raised her hand. "The payment is not necessary, Mister Aethernas." She said. "Working for you is quite…amusing to say the least. Your reasons for this whole business are quite simple but deliciously interesting. You wouldn't mind telling me would you?"

Koullufen remained silent. Maiha laughed softly and approached him. Behind her, Abraxil continued to watch. A sinister smile played on his lips.

"You won't say?" Maiha asked. "It's not that important. I already know! There is more or, should I say, less than what you make it appear don't you?"

Koullufen tossed the bag of money at Maiha's feet. "I don't need your worthless prattling, assassin!" He said. "Take your money and leave!"

Maiha ignored the bag and took a step forward. "This isn't about Zein at all, Koullufen. This is about my poor, little, baby sister."

Koullufen stared at her in shock. So there was a connection. A very strong one it seemed. He tensed up; realizing that he may have to defend himself. "Baby sister?" He asked.

Maiha laughed softly again and kept walking towards Koullufen. "How old are you, Koullufen?" She asked. "Fifty-four, right? My poor, baby sister isn't even half that. Tto think she's totally clueless of what you've planned for her. Quite amusing, really!"

Koullufen eyed the assassin warily. Maiha Il-Xalascent knew too much to his own liking. She was better off dead.

"I don't know what you saw in Sei but it set off some…desire in that shriveled body of yours right?" Maiha continued. "Some people have the most delicious fetishes if they would just admit it. When I saw that little love spot you've prepared for her after Zein was dead. I was wondering how you were going to get her there. It certainly won't be through flowers and love songs! Are there chains involved? Maybe a leash? Room for one more perhaps?"

Koullufen pointed a palm at Maiha. "Enough!" He snarled. "If you don't want to leave then just die!"

Maiha smiled at the threat. "And here I was thinking of a threesome." She said. "Well, your ugly, shriveled face is a bit of a turn off!"

Koullufen pointed a finger at Maiha. A stroke of lightning shot from his fingertip and straight at her. She sidestepped the bolt and closed in; her gladius gleamed in her right hand while a main gauche appeared in her left. Before he could cast another spell, the gladius sliced at his wrist, cutting his entire hand off.

Abraxil Sovivor started laughing.

Koullufen stared in horror at the stump where his hand was. A few feet away, his hand lay on the floor. The fingers were still twitching, as if trying to complete the spell.

Maiha quickly followed it up by slicing his neck wide open. "You've got quite the nerve, Koullufen Aethernas!" She hissed. "To think that I'd let you just take away my fun for your own little desires and then thinking that I'd ever let an ugly bastard like you hurt me!"

Koullufen stared at his killer and gurgled as blood started to clog his throat.

Maiha laughed and kicked him down. "Well, that's that." She turned and said to Abraxil. "I don't see why you go to all this trouble. You could have just killed him if he pissed you off." She knelt beside the carcass and began to slice the chest open. She was…hungry after her little encounter with Sei and Zein. Blood started to pool on the study's floor.

"My plans involve more than just plain murder, Maiha. Be patient, you will be privy to them soon enough." Abraxil Sovivor replied. He approached Maiha as she pulled out the dead wizard's still warm heart. She sighed pleasantly and took a bite out of her grisly meal. Blood ran down her chin as the heart spurted more of the red liquid with each bite. She smacked her lips and licked the blood on her hands and arms; savoring every drop she could.

"Well I never did like waiting, Abraxil." Maiha replied. "Besides…hahhhh…"

The Dark Lord smiled as the assassin before him froze up. He had gently plunged a sharp fingernail into her right shoulder. Malevolent energy flowed from him and coursed through her. The touch of the undead was hellishly painful to most mortals but, to Maiha, it was utter paradise. She started to writhe when he moved his fingernail down her shoulder and to her arm. The nail cut open her flesh; causing blood to flow freely down her arms.

"Darrrrk Lorrrrrd…" Maiha moaned. A bit of drool escaped the corner of her lips.

The Dark Lord cupped Maiha's chin with his other hand and stared at her eyes. Her eyes were sleepy and pleasant. She was smiling foolishly now, almost drunkenly. He was fascinated at that. He had never thought that anyone would be intoxicated by pain like this. "You've been quite the useful tool, Maiha Il-Xalascent." He told her. "Finding you in Glastheim was a boon to me."

Maiha's breathing grew heavy. "I…wish…you'd use me for something else…Dark Lord." She breathed.

The Dark Lord removed his fingernail from Maiha; making her whimper slightly. "You will have your fun soon enough." He replied. "Continue with what I asked you to do."

Maiha pouted and stood up. The heart in her hand was merely half-eaten when she threw it away. "You keep teasing me like this, Dark Lord." She complained. "I've framed Zein for you already so what else do you want me to do?"

The Dark Lord stared out of the window in Koullufen's room. "I want you to help the orcs for a while, Maiha. Give them a little edge against the Pronteran army."

Maiha smiled in anticipation. "And if I do this?" She asked.

The Dark Lord's hands crackled with dark arcs of lighting. "I can let you "feel" more if that's what you truly desire, Maiha Il-Xalascent." He answered.

Maiha shuddered in anticipation and vanished, leaving the Dark Lord to his own thoughts. 'Trenzein Zaisen and Silmeia Cafilence.' He thought. 'Through them I will win this war with ease.' He laughed inwardly. His plans would soon succeed so long as his "tool" kept performing as she did. He had to keep her a secret from Baphomet though. The demon's sadism knew no bounds. If he discovered Maiha then everything would be ruined. 'Baphomet is a nuisance sometimes.' The Dark Lord smiled as he stared at the night sky. He had other plans for Rune-Midgard other than simple desolation.


	41. Nightmares

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 39: Nightmares**

_The knight smiled as they surrounded her._

_There were five of them. They were different from the swordsmen and knights she had fought before. They were strong and experienced as well as highly-skilled and knowledgeable about her capabilities. Not that she cared; the only thing it meant was that she was going to enjoy this battle more than ever. The first of her enemies attacked. An arrow whizzed towards her head. Grinning fiercely, she ducked the arrow and charged towards the huntress. The other four attackers spread out; hoping to surround her from different directions._

_"Seihanine, get out of her way!" One of them cried.  
_

_The knight paused for a brief moment. Seihanine? The name sounded vaguely familiar. Who were these people? She dismissed the thought quickly and thrust her lance towards the huntress; who dove sideways to avoid her initial charge. The knight's grin widened. Quickly, she dismounted from her mount while her foe was rolling on the ground. The huntress's pale blue eyes widened in surprise and panic as the knight thrust her lance down on her prone form. She did not even get to scream before the lance punched through her chest and burst from behind her. Blood spattered on the hard earth under her. The knight raised her lance triumphantly and faced the rest of them._

_"Seihanine!" One of them, a wizard, shouted the name like an anguished battle cry.  
_

_The knight looked above her in time to see a massive storm of crackling electricity descending upon her. The wizard behind her gestured once again; causing the entire area around her to explode in a terrific blast lightning. The knight grinned as she soared above the blast. Now all she needed to do was-_

_The knight froze briefly._

_Since when did she possess the ability to fly? She looked behind her and found a pair of massive, drainliar-like wings on her back. Bluish veins were visible in the red membrane of the wings as they flapped steadily to keep her aloft. The wizard under her gaped at her winged form in surprise before preparing his next spell._

_The knight descended on the wizard at a speed even she did not anticipate. The wizard's spell was barely even starting when her lance ripped through his throat as she swooped past him._

_"Trenzein!"_

_The knight nearly paused again. Trenzein…another familiar name. A blacksmith, with cropped hair and blue eyes that resembled the huntress's, raised his two-handed axe as she winged towards him. The knight dipped her left wing low and rolled past his attack. Swiftly, she lowered her head and rammed him with her…horns?_

_The knight paused briefly in midair as the blacksmith crashed to the ground several feet from where she was hovering. The blacksmith writhed on the ground and choked. Blood flowed from his mouth as he coughed. Several of his ribs were broken and had punctured his lungs. When did she have horns? The knight felt at her head. Sure enough she touched a pair of smooth, curved horns that resembled a massive goat's._

_Resembled Baphomet's…_

_The knight began to panic. She did not expect this...she didn't-_

_The knight roared in pain as a flash of light struck her chest; forcing her to hover backward for several feet. Furious, she looked about to see who had cast the spell. Sure enough, the priestess was there. Her hand still glowed with powerful, holy energies. The knight hurled her lance towards the priestess, who responded by raising a cloud of glowing energy in front of her. The lance rebounded against the cloud and struck the ground point-first. The priestess did not expect the knight to charge at the same time as her throw though. The knight raised a hand and raked the priestess's throat with her…claws?_

_The priestess gasped and collapsed on the ground; helplessly clutching her bleeding throat. The knight stared at her hands. Her gauntlets were ruined. In place of her hands was a pair of wicked, demonic claws that dripped with the priestess's blood. An angry shout caused the knight to look behind her._

_A crusader stood in front of the knight. His flashing shield and armor and the fierce expression on his face made it clear that he meant to slay the winged, horned and clawed…being in front of him. The sight of the crusader alone caused the knight to hesitate. This man was familiar, far more familiar than the dark-haired priestess she just killed. She was about to charge but a sudden, painful throb in her chest caused her to stay back. Was she afraid of this crusader? No, she was-_

_The knight caught sight of her reflection on the shield's smooth surface. To her shock and horror, she didn't look human anymore. Her eyes were red and black, her fangs protruded from her mouth like a demon's. Her wings were large and black and her claws still dripped blood. She was a-_

_"Perish, demon!"_

_The crusader moved the shield to his side; revealing a gleaming saber that was hidden behind it. The saber crackled with intense, white energy that caused the knight's eyes to ache. The saber thrust forward; burying itself in her chest. The knight screamed as the saber exploded in a burst of brilliant white light. The ground beneath her shone with the crusader's power; forming a gigantic cross on the ground. The light seared her flesh and consumed her body. She screamed as the light engulfed her completely. She lashed out at the crusader with her claws and wings to no avail. She couldn't see…she couldn't-_

* * *

"Eliarainne!"

Eliarainne bolted upright and gasped. Instantly, she felt someone grasp her shoulders firmly to steady her. She recoiled from the touch and looked around her in a panic. She was inside her quarters in the knight barracks. All of a sudden, the memories came back. She had gone to bed early this day to get a good night's sleep. It didn't do her much good though. The nightmares still came.

"Eliarainne! It's me!" Someone spoke in front of her. She breathed hard before calming down. Makaelthos watched her with concern. She looked at her hands and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw fingers instead of claws.

"Makaelthos…what was I-?" She asked.

Makaelthos leaned forward to hear her better. His partner's voice was barely above a whisper now. Not that it surprised him or anything. She had been screaming when he "entered" her room. He looked at the remains of her door. The wooden structure was divided into four equal parts. As if someone had sliced an enormous cross on it. The edges of the cut were charred. "You were having a nightmare." He replied. "You were screaming so loudly that I thought you were being attacked."

Eliarainne clutched her head wearily. She was still tired and constantly waking up in stark terror wasn't helping her. "Sorry." She said. "Did I wake you up?"

Makaelthos shook his head. "I was already awake." He answered. "I have to attend to the priest crisis meeting along with Silmeia. Eliarainne…you've had these nightmares before haven't you?"

Eliarainne avoided his direct gaze. "Every night." She replied. "I'm starting to dread going to sleep."

Makaelthos nodded in understanding. No wonder his partner looked so tired for the past few battles. "Need to talk about it?" He asked.

Eliarainne shook her head. How could she tell Makaelthos that she dreamt about killing their friends and then trying to kill him? "No. It will pass." She answered. "I'm just…stressed, that's all."

Makaelthos did not press the matter. He didn't like pressing past the boundaries that people set around them. Especially Eliarainne's as she was among the most open people he knew. If she didn't want to tell him then it must be for an important reason. "Alright then." He said. "I have to go. Silmeia's probably waiting for me." He turned to leave after giving her one last concerned look. Suddenly, he felt someone grasp his cape. He turned around to find Eliarainne holding the edge of the cloth.

"Could you…stay?" Eliarainne hesitantly. "Just for a while I-" Eliarainne stopped herself and looked away. What was she thinking? This was foolish and embarrassing. She shouldn't waste Makaelthos's time with such trivial and cowardly things! His cape fell from her hand.

"Go back to sleep, Eliarainne." Makaelthos answered.

Eliarainne felt a twinge in her chest as she prepared to lie back down again. Not that she was expecting anymore sleep for the night. Her eyes widened in surprise as Makaelthos took a seat beside her bed. "I'll stay here for a while if you want." He said.

Eliarainne smiled in relief and lay back down. Her partner's presence was…reassuring to say the least. It made her relax that was for sure.

Makaelthos did his best to suppress a smile as he watched Eliarainne close her eyes. He continued to watch until he saw her chest rise and fall steadily; a sign that she was asleep again. He stared at her sleeping form for a while. When she wasn't fighting or clad in armor. Eliarainne's appearance seemed to change slightly. In a relaxed state like this, he could almost imagine her as innocent and tender…attractive in a different sort of way. 'She's been working too hard.' He thought. 'Not to mention having to put up with her father and that fiancé of hers.' He remembered the merchant's words.

_"I'll be staying for a while "Sir" Makaelthos, I'd like to see how my fiancée is doing."_

Makaelthos was surprised at how angry he had felt at that moment. He had almost wished that he would return to his partner's quarters later to find the merchant lying in a pool of his own blood. Who was he to make such a casual claim on Eliarainne? She was…she was…he focused his attention back to Eliarainne. What was she to him?

_"I don't think those were the Payon Spirits talking."_

Makaelthos shook his head to clear it of Trynis's words. Now was not the time to think of her. Suddenly, he moved a hand to brush away a stray lock of Eliarainne's golden-brown hair from her face. Sweat had curved her hair alluringly as some locks fell to her eyes. He managed to stop himself in time. 'There's no reason to do that.' He told himself. 'Why am I looking for excuses to touch her?'

A voice from Eliarainne's doorway interrupted Makaelthos's thoughts.

"Er…Sir Makaelthos?" Sir Althamas called out quietly as he peered inside the room from the broken doorway. He did not expect Sir Makaelthos to be in the Knight Commander's bedroom. Especially since she was fast asleep. Second Head Priestess Cafilence asked me to fetch you." He said. "She says the meeting with the remaining Church leaders is about to start."

Sir Althamas watched Sir Makaelthos curiously as he took another glance at the Knight Commander. Here was another "scene" he had to share with the rest of the division. While they were not complete gossips, the members of the First Knight Division liked to "keep updated" on the whole situation between their commander and her crusader partner that they have come to respect. While some of the knights from the other divisions called Sir Makaelthos "ditch knight" and other derogatory names, they respected him for two reasons. One was because they had witnessed his capabilities in different situations and have come to respect his skills. The other was because the Knight Commander would beat the hells out of them if they so much as snickered behind him.

Makaelthos finally joined sir Althamas as they headed for the nearby building that currently served as the base for the remaining Pronteran priests. "How goes the situation with the Church?" He asked.

Sir Althamas took one last glance at the door's four equal remains before answering the question. "Not too good, Sir Makaelthos." He replied. "Some the Church leaders are favoring the idea of using their monks to supplement the army. The other leaders are against it; saying that the monks are their only means of defense against any more direct attacks against them now. I guess they're including crusaders as well."

Makaelthos clenched his fists. If those leaders had their way, he would be pulled out of the army along with the other serving crusaders. 'I can't allow that.' He thought. Not at this crucial time!'

Makaelthos entered the building. He wasn't that sure why he didn't want to be pulled out of the army. Was it because he believed he would better serve Prontera and the Church by being there? Or was it for something...someone else?

"Makaelthos!"

Makaelthos looked up to see Silmeia rush towards him. "What is it, Silmeia?" He asked.

Silmeia looked worriedly at him. "It's Trenzein!" She said. He's being accused of murder!"

Makaelthos's eyes widened in surprise. "Murder?" He asked. "By whom? Who did they say he killed?"

Silmeia looked at the doors of the meeting hall. "They say he killed Koullufen Aethernas." She said. "Not only that but they're linking him to the Dark Lord!"

Makaelthos rushed towards the meeting hall. Things were getting worse for Prontera from within and without.


	42. Trenzein's storm

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 40: Trenzein's storm**

"I did not kill Koullufen Aethernas."

Trenzein Zaisen's words carried plainly to the ears of his accusers. He said them bluntly and defiantly, with no trace of surprise whatsoever. He knew that something like this would crop up. He had plenty of enemies in the Magic Academy just like his father did back then. Salnus Zaisen paid with his life for making those enemies. It was starting to look like his son was about to follow.

The meeting among the priests, crusaders and monks was momentarily postponed until the Pronteran government tried Trenzein. Koullufen Aethernas was a high-ranking member of the Geffen Wizard Academy. His being murdered while visiting Prontera would strain the relationship between the two cities. The only way Prontera could save face would be to hand Geffen the perpetrator of the crime.

"Really? Then please explain why your hat was found in the scene, Mister Zaisen!" Trenzein's accuser, Sailsan Kineal, said. Trenzein barely remembered the man as another one of Koullufen's apprentices; a mousy looking wizard who did his best to be as nondescript as possible. Trenzein found it ironic that he was now making a scene when there were bigger things to be concerned about outside Prontera's gates.

"Someone took it from my room." Trenzein responded. "I've been searching for it for almost the entire day."

Much to his own surprise, Trenzein appeared grimly calm despite the situation. He knew that he was being framed but he felt that he had been expecting something like this for months if not years. He had to wonder about who had done it though. Koullufen certainly didn't kill himself just to drag him down. Someone else in the Council or, perhaps, even the Elder Council. Someone was ruthless enough to kill Koullufen just to bring him down. Despite the danger to his life, Trenzein felt a little flattered.

"A very thin story if I've ever heard one, Mister Zaisen." Sailsan continued. "Magic instructor's hats don't just disappear and end up in murder scenes."

Trenzein's control snapped. He had been through a trying day. "And killers don't just drop their hats before leaving the scene!" He snapped. "I wasn't anywhere near Koullufen's study all day!"

Sailsan stared long and hard at Trenzein before replying. "Oh? And where were you all day, Mister Zaisen?" He asked.

Trenzein stopped himself. He was in a bad situation here…no one had really seen him after he left the meeting with the wizard and hunter division commanders except-

"He was with me!"

Trenzein turned towards the sound of the voice. Sure enough, Seihanine Xalascent walked past the guards at the door. Sailsan glared at her for interfering. "This is a trial that involves only the wizards of the Geffen Wizard Academy, huntress!" He shouted. "You are not needed here!"

Seihanine ignored Sailsan's words and walked towards Trenzein. Her wounds were still healing although she did her best to disguise her limp due to the cut on her leg. "Trenzein Zaisen was no where near Koullufen Aethernas's home during the entire day." She said. "I can testify to that!"

Sailsan watched Seihanine shrewdly. "You are his companion right?" He asked. "How can we believe you? You might be trying to cover up for him. In fact, you might be involved in this too!"

Seihanine was about to make a retort when Trenzein gripped her on the shoulder. "Don't bother with him, Sei." He said quietly. "This man won't listen to anything just to get me."

Seihanine whispered harshly in return. "I can't just stand by and watch him condemn you! The penalty for unlawful murder is death! You know that!"

Trenzein shook his head. "Of course I do!" He replied. "That's why I don't want you involved. If they link you to me then they'll have you executed as well!"

Seihanine bit her lip in frustration. Trenzein had always been so stubborn but why was he trying to make a hero of himself now? "If they execute me then so be it!" She said. "I'm not leaving you alone in this!"

Trenzein's grip on Seihanine's shoulder tightened. His voice, although still a whisper, was sharp. "Don't be a fool!" He hissed. "I can handle myself but I can't stand the idea that you're going to end up dead because of me!"

Sailsan stared suspiciously at the two. "What are you two whispering about?" He demanded. "Plotting your next lies?"

Seihanine glared at Sailsan. It took some effort on her part not to put a shaft between the man's eyes."You cannot disprove my account solely because I am his friend, wizard!" She said.

Sailsan suddenly produced a piece of parchment. "Oh?" He asked. "Then what about this piece of evidence? A letter in ancient Glastheimian script addressed to Trenzein Zaisen!"

Trenzein stared dubiously at the parchment. "How do I know that you didn't write that yourself, Sailsan?" He asked.

Sailsan smiled triumphantly. "This parchment was found earlier in your room, Trenzein Zaisen!" He said. "There was no way I could have planted it in advance! Look at this! It is a letter from the Dark Lord stating that Koullufen Aethernas must be killed!"

Trenzein's eyes widened in indignation. "What? Why in the hells would I be working for the Dark Lord?"

Seihanine thought hard. How could such a piece of parchment be found in Trenzein's room?

Sailsan raised his voice as he pointed an accusing finger at Trenzein. "I'll tell you why!" He shouted. "It's your spell revision! It makes sense now on how you could possibly conceive an idea that outrageous and dangerously powerful! It is of the Dark Lord's design!"

The wizards present murmured their agreement. A few hushed whispers began to circulate. Some wizards began saying that Trenzein was an abraxilite; a member of the cult that was dedicated to the Dark Lord.

Trenzein banged a fist against the table. "My spell revision belongs to me alone!" He shouted. "The Dark Lord has nothing to do with it and if you could see past your simpering jealousy you would realize that its completion would be for the betterment of magic everywhere!"

The room resounded with the outrage of every wizard present in it.

"Disrespectful dog! He deserves to be executed for those words alone!"

"He's obviously a spy for the Dark Lord! The evidence is clear enough!"

Sailsan smiled triumphantly as the crowd of wizards began to cry for Trenzein's blood. He had the upstart now.

Trenzein's eyes narrowed in fury. Is this his fate? After all the work he put into completing his revision, his only reward would be death? He felt his hands crackle with power. If he was going to die because of his work then he was ready to show them what he can do with it.

Seihanine glanced worriedly at Trenzein. Things were getting out of hand. This wasn't a trial, it was a lynching. She looked around the room; searching for anyone who was against Trenzein's death sentence. Makaelthos and Silmeia struggled to enter the room but were pushed back by the wizards' guards. 'This is insanity! There has to be a way to stop this!' She thought.

* * *

The swordsman guard gasped helplessly as the gladius cut his neck open.

"Go to sleep, swordsman." Maiha whispered sweetly into the man's ear. "There's no need for you to guard this place any longer" She sighed disappointedly as the swordsman gasped his last breath on the floor. Quick kills were simply not her style. She looked behind her to survey her handiwork. Two knights and eight swordsmen lay dead by their posts. No one had managed to raise an alarm. As a matter of fact, no one even got a glimpse of her face before she murdered them. "The stuff the Abraxil makes me do." She grumbled. She stood on top of Prontera's western walls. Beyond the walls were the kobold tribes led by the immortal, Werewolf. She sighed again and raised a lit torch. Once she made sure that the kobolds could see her signal, she began waving it about.

* * *

Werewolf watched as a tiny bit of light waved on top of Prontera's western wall.

"The assassin was true to her word!" He howled. "Come, my tribesmen! We will be the first to have the honor of storming Prontera!"

The kobolds around Werewolf began to howl as they picked up their weapons. The orcs will not beat them to another glorious victory like the time their ancestors rebelled against the Morrocan Empire! This battle belonged to the kobold tribes! Werewolf howled his battle cry as the western gate of Prontera began to open.

* * *

"You're spewing both lies and insolence, Trenzein Zaisen!" Sailsan shouted. "Your guilt is obvious! You will be executed by dawn in the name of the Geffen Wizard Academy!"

Trenzein stared menacingly at the gathered wizards. "This trial is a farce!" He growled. "You just stacked worthless evidence on me and then you handed down this execution order!"

Seihanine seethed at the transpiring events. They were going to execute Trenzein and there was nothing she could do about it! Makaelthos and Silmeia shouted their protests from the doorway but they were ignored.

Sailsan smiled in triumph as the cadre of wizards that served as the judges agreed on the decision to execute Trenzein. 'So ends your little rebellion, upstart.' He thought.

Suddenly, one voice rose from the growing confusion.

"The kobolds have breached the west gates!" A knight shouted.

Everyone turned to face the one who shouted.

"The what? How did they get past our guards? How did they open the gates?"

Makaelthos beat back the guards and entered the room. "Everyone move to your positions!" He said. "This is no time to panic!"

The army wizards rushed to their respective divisions while the civilian ones retreated to their homes.

Sailsan turned to face a pair of knights who worked for the academy. "Guard the prisoner!" He told them. "Make sure that he doesn't try anything!" He then rushed outside the building and moved towards his home near the center of Prontera.

Flanked by a pair of knights, Trenzein approached Makaelthos. "Makaelthos! I have to help as well!" He said.

Makaelthos nodded and turned to face Trenzein's knight guards. "I will handle this prisoner for a while!" He told them. "Return to your posts."

One of the guards shook his head. Suddenly, Makaelthos's armored fist swung towards the man's jaw. The first knight guard crashed to the ground out cold. The second guard lunged at Makaelthos only to be encased in ice when a blast of cold exploded from his "prisoner". Trenzein grinned as he watched his handiwork. "You're going to get in trouble for that you know." He told Makaelthos.

Makaelthos smiled in return. "Good." He replied. "Maybe then I can get their attention. That trial was a mockery of justice."

Trenzein's expression grew grim. "You know I'm not running away from these bastards, Makaelthos." He said.

Seihanine approached them from behind. "You'll have to hide, Zein!" She insisted. "Until we can prove your innocence!"

Trenzein ignored Seihanine and rushed outside the building. She and Makaelthos followed suit.

"Why won't he listen?" Seihanine asked in frustration. "Does he want to die?" Suddenly, she felt someone's hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to find Silmeia running right beside her.

"We can't force Trenzein to do something he doesn't want to, Sei." Silmeia said. "He'll have to decide for himself."

The three of them ran until they reached the west gates only to find that the kobolds were swarming everywhere. The knights had already begun a counterattack but they were caught completely by surprise. Some of them were not even in full armor yet.

"Trenzein!" Makaelthos called out. "Get whatever wizard division you can find together! We need to slow these things down!" He slashed the throat of one axe-wielding kobold wide open and pressed forward. Behind him, several knights from various divisions made their stand. His eyes narrowed as he watched Werewolf tear through a group of knights. 'We have to do something about Werewolf...but what?' He thought.

Seihanine's arrows struck down several kobold archers from the walls before she sidestepped a swing from a hammer-wielding kobold in front her. Before the blue-furred, dog-like creature could swing again, Kalyx raked it from behind with steel-tipped claws. The main kobold forces were bogged down as the ground beneath them heaved and became soft quicksand. Seihanine shouted her orders to the scattered hunters around her. "Focus your arrows on their archers! We have to provide cover for the wizards!" Her eyes widened in surprise as Werewolf himself broke past the knights' defensive line and strode towards them. Werewolf was an intimidating sight as he lumbered towards the line of hunters. He stood at least fifteen feet tall with bright red fur and powerful muscles that rippled through his massive body. Saliva dripped from the yellowed fangs in his open mouth. Some of the hunters ran at the sight of the immortal alone. Seihanine did not join them. 'The wizard line is directly behind me.' She thought. 'If I retreated now, he'll attack them while they're not ready.'

Seihanine shot two arrows at Werewolf's chest. The immortal laughed and ignored the attack as he kept advancing. Another knight stabbed him from behind with a lance. He grabbed the man before he could step back. To Seihanine's horror, Werewolf brought his jaws down on the knight's head; biting it off almost effortlessly. Blood dribbled down his chin and chest; spattering on the ground in bright red splotches. Werewolf howled in bloodlust.

"Monster!" Seihanine shouted. She continued to shoot Werewolf furiously. There was no way she was letting this beast through her line.

"You're quite stubborn, huntress!" Werewolf snarled. "I gave you the chance to retreat but you still stand and fight!" He let out a powerful howl and sprang towards Seihanine. Before she could react, he was already upon her. His knife-like fangs tore through her left arm with ease. Seihanine staggered back and clutched her wounded arm. Werewolf grinned and swiped at her with a claw. The blow struck true; sending her flying back for several feet. The immortal's claws had raked a vicious gash on her chest.

"Sei!"

Both Makaelthos and Silmeia tried to run towards the injured huntress but the tide of battle kept them back. Silmeia blasted one mace-wielding kobold on the face with holy light while Makaelthos decapitated another. He held his breath as Werewolf approached Seihanine's prone form.

"Be thankful, huntress." Werewolf spoke. "You serve as food to the great Werewolf instead of a mere snack to my minions."

The other wizards tried to assist Seihanine but they had to keep their own opponents at bay. More kobolds poured from the west gates. The Pronteran defenders were slowly being overrun.

"You should be the one thankful, Werewolf!" Trenzein shouted.

Werewolf snarled and turned to face the one who spoke. A lone, green-haired wizard stood before him.

"You get to be destroyed by the great Trenzein Zaisen instead of being a victory for those short-sighted fools in the academy!" Trenzein smiled grimlyas he taunted the immortal. A night breeze ruffled his tousled hair and blew his cloak about. 'Why should I be executed by those cowards?' He thought. 'If I'm going to die, then I will die in my magic!'

Werewolf let loose another howl and closed in on the arrogant wizard. The huntress would serve as a snack later. Suddenly, his foe emitted a powerful aura of magic that caused even him to hesitate.

"So this is the work of the Dark Lord?" Trenzein shouted defiantly. "Let me show you what it can do then!" With his right hand, he hurled a sphere of lightning at Werewolf. The immortal staggered backwards for a few steps as the sphere struck him.

Werewolf grinned as lightning coursed through his massive body. "Is this what you're capable of, wizard?" He taunted. "This is nothing!"

Trenzein answered the grin with one of his own and then hurled two more spheres in rapid succession.

Werewolf's eyes widened in surprise as the spheres struck him solidly; forcing him back for a few more feet. 'What is this?' He thought in a panic. 'This isn't Jupitel Thunder!'

Trenzein spat out a glob of blood and hurled another pair of lightning spheres at Werewolf. The immortal roared in fury and pain as more lightning coursed through him. Behind the two, Seihanine struggled to get up. She had to help…she had to-

Trenzein's eyes started to bleed. The blood ran down his cheeks like crimson tears as he hurled two more Jupitel Thunders at his opponent. "Is it still nothing, Werewolf?" He shouted.

All around the two, the fighting seemed to stop momentarily as Werewolf struggled to stand his ground against the powerful, magical assault of a lone wizard. Vicious wounds appeared all over Trenzein's body as if he was being attacked by an invisible sword. Several more lightning spheres flew from his hands; knocking Werewolf to the ground in an explosion of electrical charges. The night was being lit up by the blue light coming from the explosions. Werewolf writhed in agony. Massive burns covered his body in ugly, bald patches of singed fur.

Seihanine's eyes widened in utter panic. "Zein, stop!" She cried out.

Trenzein's breathing grew ragged. He was bleeding from at least a hundred cuts by now. Blood flowed from his mouth, eyes and ears. It was pouring out of everywhere. He hurled four more spheres of crackling energy before falling to one knee. The spheres struck Werewolf's prone form and exploded into tremendous discharges of pure electricity. Seihanine dashed towards him. She had to stop this…stop him before he-

"Seihanine stand back!" Trenzein bellowed the warning in time as Werewolf rose to his feet. The immortal was practically half-dead. His fur was all but completely burned off. His right eye was scorched shut while his left hand was nothing more than a charred stump.

Werewolf howled in agony and fury and lunged. "If I must die then I will make sure that I kill you first, wizard!" He roared.

Trenzein rose to his feet. He more than half-dead by now; he had lost too much blood and he had no idea how many gaping wounds he had on his body. The only thing probably keeping him alive was his magic. "I'm going to die one way or another, Werewolf!" He shouted in return. "Let me leave my mark on your corpse at least!" His hands crackled with power as a pair of lightning spheres, at least thrice the size of the ones he was hurling earlier, appeared in them. Summoning whatever magic remained in him; he hurled the spheres simultaneously at Werewolf. The massive spheres struck the immortal squarely on the chest.

The red-furred chieftain of the kobold tribes gave out one more howl before blowing up. There was a brief moment of silence as the lightning spheres struck. After the silence came a low roar as the spheres detonated into a flash of brilliant, blue light. Werewolf's death-howl rose into the night sky as he perished. After the howl came another moment of silence.

"They've killed our chieftain!" One of the kobolds shouted. "Retreat!"

The kobolds rushed back outside the west gate. Many of them were cut or shot down by the knights and hunters that defended the place. Seihanine stifled a sob as she ran towards Trenzein. Both Makaelthos and Silmeia ran as well; healing spells on the tips of their tongues. All the while they kept wishing that Trenzein would stay alive when they got to him.

Trenzein mustered a weak smile of triumph as he stared at his handiwork. "Did-did you see it?" He gasped. "Did you see my Jupitel Storm?" He closed his eyes. He couldn't feel himself breathe. He couldn't even feel his own heartbeat. 'I can't cast anymore…can't cast a thing…'

Trenzein hit the ground even before Seihanine got to him. "Zein!" Seihanine cried out. She grasped his body tightly and pressed her ear against his chest; wishing desperately for any sign of life. Trenzein's heart slowed down.

And stopped.


	43. Magic

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 41: Magic**

"Zein!"

Seihanine buried her face on the wizard's still warm chest. She couldn't believe it, Trenzein Zaisen was dead. It was what she feared for so long. "You promised you wouldn't do anything this crazy!" She sobbed.

From afar, Makaelthos froze in disbelief. It wasn't possible. Trenzein was often reckless and sometimes he was downright arrogant. Nevertheless, he had always pulled through with his magic. This just wasn't possible.

Silmeia fell to her knees when she saw Seihanine burst into tears. She had never seen that happen for the five years that she had known the huntress. This was real…Trenzein was dead and, once more, she failed to do anything about it.

"I'm...too late?" Eliarainne sat on top of her mount and looked at the battlefield in shock. She had tried to get to the west gates as soon as she was informed that they were being attacked but by the time she got to the place. 'No! This is entirely my fault!' She thought. 'If I was here earlier, I could have…I could have-!'

Seihanine felt Trenzein's skin growing colder. "You fool!" She cried out. "You great, arrogant fool! I would have let him tear me apart instead if it meant…if it-" She failed to finish the sentence as she was wracked by uncontrollable sobs. She struck Trenzein's chest repeatedly as if trying to make his heart start again and pressed her face against his; trying to feel the last vestiges of warmth.

"Cease that blubbering, woman, and stand aside!" Someone shouted. "I have other things to take care off besides this little stop!"

Seihanine froze when she heard those words. White-hot fury exploded within her chest. She grabbed her gakkung and aimed it in the direction of that hateful, arrogant voice.

"Well that's gratitude for you!" The voice continued. "I grace you with my presence and you try to shoot me dead! Fine!"

Seihanine's eyes widened in surprise as an invisible force hurled her to the side. She looked up to find a purple-robed wizard standing before Trenzein. The wizard brushed aside a shock of his messy white hair and grinned at the body. "Hello, Trenzein Zaisen! Dead already? I was expecting a lot more from you."

Seihanine's quivered with fury. The nerve of this man! Mocking the fallen after he had tried so hard to-

"I advise all of you to sheath or replace your weapons and stay where you are!" The wizard said. "You cannot help this corpse before you but I can." He stared calmly at the people who approached him. Makaelthos had drawn his saber and was advancing towards him. Silmeia already had a several spells on her mind while Eliarainne had set her lance for a charge. Seihanine kept her gakkung pointed at him as well.

"Who are you?" Seihanine demanded. "What do you want from Zein?"

The wizard grinned at Seihanine; a fierce, predatory grin that took her aback. His eyes were crimson and resembled the eyes of a predatory bird than a human's. He carried himself with the air of an experienced master but he didn't look any older than thirty. He had a sharp, pointed nose, a strong jawline and a fierce brow. "You may call me Master Raven Huer, my blubbering, blue-haired woman." He answered. "Or simply Master Raven or Master Huer if you prefer a less tongue-straining exercise. However, you are not the reason why I am wasting my time here. Now, if you excuse me, I have business to take care of!"

Raven Huer knelt beside Trenzein's body. Seihanine strained to hear him speak. "I wouldn't stay dead if I were you, Mister Zaisen." He spoke softly. "You'd be weaseling out of that deal you made. Believe me; you wouldn't want to do that. You'd disappoint The Source and make her mad."

Seihanine's eyes widened in surprise as Trenzein's body started convulsing.

Raven Huer grinned at the reaction. "I didn't think so." He said. He began to trace invisible patterns in the air with his right hand. "The Source didn't give you those eyes so you can strut about for a brief duration before ending up dead, Mister Zaisen. Apparently, she has a lot of plans for you. She even sent me here for this; can you imagine that?"

Trenzein's eyes suddenly fluttered open. He grasped Raven Huer's arm and stared at him in utter fright. Seihanine gasped as Trenzein started to speak. "You!" He said to Raven Huer. "You were with The Source when I first saw her!"

Raven Huer grinned and put a finger between his lips. "Now let's not blabber on about our "mutual acquaintance" and your little deal with her, Trenzein Zaisen." He said. "Good to see you alive though. That was a really nice spell you cast. No where near what you're expected of casting but it's a nice start."

Trenzein looked around him for a while. From afar he could see his friends already overjoyed; although they couldn't approach him while Raven Huer was still around. Seihanine rushed towards him. Relief and joy seemed to wage war on her tear-streaked face. For a moment, Trenzein was taken aback. He had only seen Seihanine like this once.

"Zein!" Seihanine cried out.

Trenzein mustered a grin and winced. His wounds may no longer be bleeding but they still hurt like hell. Not that he was complaining. He was alive after all. His being so proved just how powerful this other wizard was.

"Looks like I haven't introduced myself…call me Master Raven Huer, Mister Zaisen." Raven Huer stood up as Seihanine held Trenzein tightly. The entire place was beginning to get crowded as other wizards gathered around them. He turned to face the crowd. "Alright you cantrip-wielding louts, listen up!" He told them. Raven Huer smiled as his words drew a lot of angry comments from the crowd. He suddenly gestured in front of Trenzein. The angry comments were replaced by murmurs of awe as a strange, golden light bathed the green-haired wizard. "From now on, Trenzein Zaisen is under the direct protection of The Source!" He continued. "This means that none of you apprentice-ranked fools may accuse him of so much as spitting in your direction, let alone murdering your oh-so-great council member!"

The crowd of wizards murmured in indignation.

"This guy has a lot of nerve, invoking The Source!"

"That man was condemned to die! Who is he to remove a death sentence with a little light show?"

Sailsan stepped forward. His face was contorted with fury. "The Source is a mere fairy tale!" He shouted. "What gives you the right to-?"

Raven Huer gave Sailsan a passing glance. There was nothing special about the glance from outward appearances; just an ordinary glance you would give to ensure that someone was still there. Sailsan crumpled to the ground. The other wizards ran over to check on the fallen wizard.

"He's dead! How did he do that?"

"He must be some kind of monster!"

Raven Huer stared scornfully at the crowd. "The Source is not some fairy tale, you dolts!" He shouted at them "She's as real as your stupidity! A living, breathing, thinking being who, despite being more than deserving utter reverence and worship from all magic-wielders of Rune-Midgard, doesn't even receive an ounce of hypocritical lip service from any of you! To think that you would execute the lone man among you who even knows of her existence!" He exuded an aura of pure, magical might when he finished. Seihanine struggled to look at him. Still, she found herself looking away. Raven Huer turned to face Trenzein once again. "The Source's protection only extends to whatever plot your weak-minded colleagues have against you, Mister Zaisen." He said. "It will not save you from spears, axes, blades, hostile magic or sheer stupidity. Consider yourself lucky. The Source is giving you this one chance to…"rectify" that little mistake you made earlier. You won't be so lucky next time. Those who fail The Source after making a deal with her are never treated kindly…not by me at least." He knelt and stared at Trenzein. His crimson eyes seemed to flash with a menacing light. "To tell the truth, I was hoping that The Source wouldn't forgive you. I have a soul-binding spell that was already at the tip of my tongue. You would have found out that spending eternity in a glass jar isn't so bad."

Trenzein Zaisen stared back at Raven Huer. His golden eyes glimmered with the same menacing light. "What a shame." He replied.

Raven Huer smiled and stood up. "You're right about that, Mister Zaisen." He said. "I will be keeping an eye on you. Good luck with this whole Crimson Twilight bit."

With another gesture, Raven Huer was gone. Trenzein looked up to the sky and smiled.

Before falling unconscious again.

"Zein!"

Seihanine looked worriedly at Trenzein and felt for signs of life. She breathed a sigh of relief when she discovered that he was still breathing. The other wizards muttered among themselves and began to disperse. No one was going to mess with Trenzein Zaisen now. Not after seeing what the one called Raven Huer did to Sailsan.

Makaelthos and Silmeia immediately rushed over towards them. They practically cast their healing spells at the same time. Eliarainne rushed over as well.

"Is he alright, Sei?" Makaelthos asked.

Seihanine wiped some tears from her cheek. "He'll be fine." She answered. Her eyes narrowed in deep thought. Though she was overjoyed that Trenzein was alive, his conversation with the man called Raven Huer was intriguing. Who was this The Source? From the way Raven Huer used the name, Seihanine could guess that it was a woman. As for the deal Trenzein made...her pace slowed down as her friends carried Trenzein to a nearby by infirmary. 'He mentioned something about...Trenzein's eyes. This Raven Huer knows a lot about Zein.' She thought.

* * *

_The wizard gasped as the door in front suddenly opened._

_'I did it! I've opened the last, locked door in Glastheim!' _

_Trenzein Zaisen's elation changed to awe as a blinding, golden light burst from the room._

_"Who's there?" Someone called out. "You've got a lot of nerve barging in like this!"_

_Trenzein's pale green eyes took a while to adjust to the light. When he did, the sight of what was inside astonished him. Inside the room were two people. One of them was a man. He wore deep, purple robes that marked him as a wizard. His hair was a tangled, uncombed mess of ivory locks but his most frightening features were his blood red eyes that flashed with anger. The sight of this angry wizard would have caused Trenzein to run if he hadn't caught a glimpse of the room's other occupant._

_The room's other occupant was a woman. While he stared at her, Trenzein managed to ignore his fear of the man in the room. The woman was golden in all respects, as if she was made entirely of light. Her skin was flawless; her eyes were orbs of light that shone brighter than anything he had ever seen. Her breath-taking, long hair practically reached the floor. Trenzein felt his knees bend voluntarily as he stared at the woman. Power radiated from her like the rays of the sun…this was…_

_"Show some respect to The Source, boy!" The white-haired wizard shouted. "Stop gaping at her like a landed phen!" He raised a hand and gestured. Raw, magical energy crackled on his fingertips._

_"Raven, stop."_

_The wizard called Raven put his hand down and turned away. The woman approached Trenzein's kneeling form. He was utterly speechless. He felt himself starting to cringe at this being's mere presence. "Do you know who I am, Trenzein Zaisen?" The woman asked.  
_

_It took several minutes before Trenzein found his voice. A few more before he collected enough thoughts to use it. "Y-You're The Source." He replied. "The personification of the magic that flows over Rune-Midgard."_

_The woman smiled at his answer. The light from her changed from blinding to a comforting glow. "I'm glad." She said. "No one seems to recognize me on sight anymore. I appear in dreams and visions and still no one can remember me." The Source put a hand on Trenzein's cheek. "I can sense your desire for magic, Trenzein Zaisen." She continued. "You thirst for me like a man dying of thirst would for water. I haven't sensed such raw desire in Rune-Midgard ever since Abraxil Sovivor searched for me in his darkness." She passed her hand over Trenzein's eyes. "You may think of this as a mere dream, Trenzein Zaisen, or perhaps a vision. I will walk with you from now on. Every spell you cast, I will cast with you. Every battle you fight, I will fight with you until you fulfill what purpose I have for you." With that, her hand shone with golden light that seared Trenzein's eyes. He tried to close his eyelids but the light seemed to penetrate his flesh. Trenzein cried out in pain as he felt his eyes burning._

* * *

"Source!"

Trenzein opened his eyes to find his friends watching him with concern.

Seihanine watched him curiously. "Zein, who is this The Source that you and that man kept mentioning?" She asked.

Trenzein caught a glimpse of himself on a small mirror beside his bed. The rest of the companions watched him now. "She is…my life." He replied.


	44. Counterattack

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 42: Counterattack**

"I've called you all here to discuss our next move after the repulsed kobold attack."

Quai Hune looked over the gathered Knight Commanders of Prontera's Regular Army. The meeting had taken place as soon as the remaining kobolds were either driven out or slain. Now that the Geffen Wizard Academy had washed its hands of the whole matter with Trenzein Zaisen and Raven Huer, the next matter of discussion involved taking steps to break the siege. He studied each one of the Knight Commanders present. The success of whatever operation planned today would depend on how well each one of them handled their troops. In particular, he focused his attention on four important figures in the room.

The first was, of course, First Knight Commander Eliarainne Sialsanderin. He knew that if there was anyone present in the room that he could count on to lead the army to another victory, it would be her. She possessed the traits of a great leader. She handled her troops well and they respected her greatly in return. When she charged, morale soared. She had a keen grasp of military tactics as well as superb riding and fighting skills. While her temper was notorious when it came to personal matters, she has never let her anger get in the way of her duties. Quai Hune watched the First Knight Commander worriedly this time though. She was pale from lack of sleep and an overabundance of stress. He knew that she also had to handle her meddlesome father and, at the same time, recuperate from the wounds she had received from the last battle.

The second was none other than Makaelthos Solcry. While not a Knight Commander, he took part in these meetings because Quai respected his abilities as a tactician. Not only that, he served as a consultant for any involvement from the Church. He was also a keen judge of character; able to make the right decisions on which Knight Division to use on what situation.

It was this same ability to judge the character of someone that made Quai Hune a little uneasy over the third person. Makaelthos did not completely trust the newly-appointed Knight Commander of the Fourth Knight Division. Sir Agranias was assigned to lead it after the untimely death of its former commander, Sir Gardzen Haelungrein. Quai Hune was dubious about the whole incident with Sir Gardzen. Official reports stated that Gardzen Haelungrein was killed by Priestess Silmeia Cafilence in an act of self-defense when he had attempted to rape her. Agranias was appointed after much careful thought from the rest of the Knight Commanders and the recommendation of the rest of the Fourth Knight Division. According to Sir Makaelthos, he was a rogue knight reformer who was almost killed by his fellow rogue knights for trying to join the Regular Army. Despite his dubious background, he was a fine warrior and exhibited a lot of potential as a leader. In fact, Quai had a feeling that he had led troops of his own before. A more thorough investigation about Sir Agranias's background will have to be undertaken after the siege.

If Sir Agranias was a little uneasy to consider as a Knight Commander, the most peculiar person in the meeting hall right now had to be the Knight Commander of Prontera's newest Knight Division. The Fourteenth Knight Division was actually composed of newly-promoted swordsmen who had proven themselves in the battles with the orcs. Fourteenth Knight Commander Joe Buck seemed…too proud of his new status as a knight. Quai Hune considered his ascension to his rank to be too hasty. After all, the former swordsman had enlisted in the army only a few weeks ago. The Grand Knight Commander had agreed to his promotion because he believed that Prontera could use an extra division. Sir Joe Buck was an excellent warrior; he was extremely brave and skillful in a skirmish. He had an incredible enthusiasm about serving Prontera and inspired a lot of the swordsmen during battles. What really made him strange was when he received the news of his promotion. He practically did a jig in front of the Grand Knight Commander. Later, Quai watched him run to a cloaked man he called "Seiros", shouting joyously that "they had made him a knight". The cloaked figure quieted him down though. Dame Eliarainne, Sir Makaelthos and Sir Agranias were obviously anxious about the new Knight Commander.

"The death of Werewolf has all but scattered the kobold tribes." Quai told the assembled Knight Commanders. "That leaves their western flank exposed. The orc and goblin tribes will be hard-pressed to recover from the resulting vacuum in their forces. Now would be the perfect opportunity to launch a counterattack to further put us in advantage. In fact, this next attack has the possibility of routing our besiegers."

The Knight Commanders nodded grimly at Quai Hune's proposition. All except Sir Joe Buck, who nodded a little too eagerly to his liking.

Sir Makaelthos pointed a finger at the map of the lands surrounding Prontera. "If the kobolds get it in their heads to retreat back to their lands, they can easily take the western route through the goblin forests." he said. "An easy means of escape will ensure that they retreat quickly from our lands. If the Orc Hero plans to make them hold their positions, he would have to maneuver some of his orcs to block the entrance to the forests."

Eliarainne concentrated on the map and traced her finger across the plains where the orc tribes were positioned. "If the orcs do move, it would expose the orcish high command to a direct attack from us." she added.

Quai Hune nodded at the two. "The question is how do we ensure that the kobolds flee?" he asked. "Their leader may be dead but kobolds can be stubborn."

Makaelthos concentrated for a while. "The kobolds will probably have a fear of magic right now." he answered. "After all, Werewolf was slain by a wizard. A severe attack from several wizard divisions will break whatever morale they have left."

The other Knight Commanders voiced their assent to the plan. Quai Hune watched each of them carefully. "We can't just send a wizard division or two without some form of escort." he said. "We'll need some back up for them."

None of the Knight Commanders volunteered for the job. The wizard attack was, after all, a feint to lure the orc tribes to make the wrong maneuver. The glory in this battle will lie on the main attack on their high command. The one who can slay Orc Hero himself will be the hero in this war.

Quai Hune turned towards Sir Joe Buck. "Knight Commander Buck, I will assign your division along with the Fourth Knight Division to escort the wizards on this attack." he said.

Sir Joe Buck's eyes widened in surprise. "But wolf-boy's dead!" he protested. "Theres no one for me to-!" He stopped himself as he drew stares from the other Knight Commanders. "-I mean…yes sir!" he amended.

Quai Hune turned towards the other Knight Commanders. "The rest of you will take part in the main assault on the Orc Hero's main camp!" he told them. "Get your divisions ready before sunrise!"

Sir Agranias suddenly raised a hand to call the Grand Knight Commander's attention. "Sir, we have to keep in mind that the Lord of Death is probably still near Prontera." he said. "An all-out attack might leave yo-I mean our defenses open to a surprise attack from his raydric army."

Quai Hune acknowledged Sir Agranias's point. It also reminded him that the orcs were not the only enemies of Prontera. "The raydric army is no where within at least several miles from the orc tribes, Sir Agranias." he replied. "Otherwise, orcish scouts would have spotted them from afar. It will probably take a few days of marching to get here from wherever their army is. That's long enough for us to complete this attack."

Agranias seemed about to say more but he decided to stop himself.

Quai Hune watched as the different commanders went out to handle their divisions. He then approached Sir Makaelthos before he could leave. "Sir Makaelthos, A word with you for a while." he said.

Sir Makaelthos stopped and nodded at his partner to move on without him. "You need something, sir?" he asked.

Sir Quai Hune waited until the room was clear of everyone. "I've noticed that your partner doesn't look too well these past two days." he said. "Any problems I should know about?"

Sir Makaelthos was silent for a while. While he knew that a problem of one Knight Commander had best come to Quai Hune's attention, he wasn't sure if it was a good idea to tell him about his partner's nightmares. He knew little of it himself. "Dame Eliarainne's just working too hard lately, Sir Quai." he answered. "Her issues with her family and fiancé isn't helping to improve things, I'm afraid."

Quai Hune watched Sir Makaelthos in concern this time. "I did not know Dame Eliarainne had a fiancé, Sir Makaelthos." he said.

Makaelthos's eyes narrowed. "She's against the whole engagement." he replied. "Her father's pushing for it but-"

Quai Hune nodded in understanding. He was well acquainted with Cafilex Sialsanderin. He had been dealing with the man for years, ever since he allowed Dame Eliarainne to take swordswoman training. "Cafilex is never the one to understand." he said. "Can she handle it?"

Makaelthos remembered the frightened look his partner gave him earlier that night. From outward appearances, it didn't look like Eliarainne could handle the mounting stress but he had never known her to succumb to anything before. "I trust that she can, Sir Quai Hune." he replied.

The Grand Knight Commander nodded and started to walk away. "I certainly hope so, Sir Makaelthos." he said. "The army needs her more than ever now."

Makaelthos went to attend his preparations for the upcoming battle. 'Not just the army, Sir Quai Hune.' he thought.

* * *

"How did your meeting go, doppelganger?" Osiris asked his ally.

The doppelganger strutted about in his new set of full plate. Despite the additional weight, he still moved as if he was merely wearing cloth. He often looked at the Pronteran symbol that was engraved onto his cuirass; finding the two-headed eagle very amusing. "That's Sir Joe Buck now, Seiros!" he said.

Osiris's eyes flashed as the doppelganger continued with his antics. Of all things, he was practicing the knight salute! "Be serious!" he growled. "We failed to anticipate Werewolf's demise, "Joe Buck"! We need to slay at least one of the immortals right outside the gates!"

The doppelganger stopped his antics and put on a subdued look. "The meeting didn't go so well." he answered. "They assigned my division to guard a bunch of wizards and assault the remaining kobolds."

Osiris' eyes flashed again. "It's to be expected." he said. "You're barely out of swordsman duty to them, doppelganger. But we can gain some good here."

The doppelganger began to sharpen his broadsword with a bit of whetstone that he found in some smithy. "Good?" he asked. "All I'll be doing is butchering some dog men. Nothing good about that!"

Osiris watched as the first rays of the sun began to shine on Prontera. "There are ways for you to change your division's assignment, doppelganger." He replied. "I will handle that during the battle."

The doppelganger patted his partner on the shoulder. "I'm counting on you, Seiros!" he said with enthusiasm. Then, his eyes narrowed menacingly. "No cheating."

* * *

"So what did Sir Quai want to talk about?" Eliarainne asked. She talked to Makaelthos as she inspected her troops. The First Knight Division, as usual, was the first to get ready among the knights.

"Sir Quai Hune was just worried about your state, Eliarainne." Makaelthos answered.

Eliarainne looked at him curiously. "My state?" she asked. "I'm perfectly fine!"

Makaelthos did not look convinced. "Perhaps…be careful in the battle later, Eliarainne." he replied. "I don't want to do what I had to during the last fight."

Eliarainne lowered her gaze at the response.

_"Perish, demon!"_

The image of Makaelthos's holy sword was still vivid in her mind. 'That's ridiculous.' she thought. 'Makaelthos would never-"

_"What I had to do."_

Eliarainne was silent after that.

* * *

"What do you mean I'm not part of the next battle?"

Trenzein Zaisen tried to rise from his bed and failed. A warning glance from Seihanine told him not to repeat that. Silmeia's expression was determined as she stared at him.

"You're still resting, Trenzein." Silmeia said firmly. "Besides, you've already contributed enough to this siege."

Trenzein sank back to his bed. "Great." he sighed. "I suppose the Second Priest Division is going as well?"

Silmeia nodded. "I have to get my division ready, Zein." she replied. "Please stay here."

Trenzein nodded in resignation as Silmeia left. It wasn't like he had the strength to disobey her. Seihanine sat beside his bed once again. "What are you still doing here, Sei?" he asked.

Seihanine leaned against her chair. "The Second Hunter Division's ready by now." she said. "I'll just stay here for a while."

Trenzein stared out the window of the infirmary. "That's not necessary you know." he said.

Seihanine hid a slight smile. "How does it feel to be the invalid this time, Zein?" she asked.

Trenzein bristled at the remark. Suddenly the memory of a similar situation made him laugh. "I suppose the great Seihanine Xalascent can cast a Jupitel Storm at Werewolf without taking a scratch?" he asked in mock indignation.

Seihanine was about to reply when she heard a familiar sound.

Soft laughter echoed inside the room.


	45. Festering hate

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 43: Festering Hate**

Seihanine grabbed her bow the moment she heard the laughter. Trenzein tried to rise again but his wounds kept him to his bed.

"You shouldn't exert yourself, Zein!" Maiha called out. Her voice seemed to come from everywhere at once despite being in a small room. "You'd end up dead before I have the chance to enjoy you!"

Seihanine glanced around the infirmary. There was no place to hide except-

"I'm right outside, baby sister." Maiha said, as if answering her unspoken question. "Why don't we settle our differences right now? I'm sure you're anxious to please me."

Seihanine rushed out the door while Trenzein made another effort to stand. "Sei, wait!" he shouted after her. "Don't face her by yourself!" He got himself off the bed only to end up crashing to the floor. Pain snaked up and down his legs when he forced himself to stand. "Damn it!" he cursed to himself. "She's going to get killed out there!"

* * *

Seihanine rushed out into in the pale, morning light. It was still too dark to get a clear impression of her half-sister but the constant, mocking laughter was easy enough to follow. Maiha was leading her somewhere.

"Keep in step now, baby sister!" Maiha taunted. "I don't want you getting lost."

Seihanine shot an arrow at the voice's direction. Her trained hearing picked up the sound of the arrow striking a stone wall. She had missed.

"Shooting in the dark, Sei?" Maiha laughed. "Don't be so hasty! You'll get your chance soon enough!"

Maiha's soft, mocking laughter seemed to flow all around Seihanine now. It came from the right and then subtly shifted to the left. Still, the voice was leading her to one place. "We're here, baby sister." she finally said. "How do you like it?"

Seihanine found herself standing in the middle of a wide open space of an alley. She quickly scanned the area for anything suspicious. To her surprise, there was nothing special about the area. It was just a wide open space that had no clutter whatsoever. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. She had expected Maiha to choose a place with plenty of hiding places and shadows; anything that an assassin could use to gain an advantage over a huntress. The only concealment Maiha could gain here was the early morning fog.

"I see you're already appreciating my little place." Maiha spoke. "Quite appropriate for the situation, don't you think?"

Seihanine shot another arrow at the fog. Once more all she heard was her arrow clattering on the stone pavement. "Show yourself already, Maiha!" she shouted.

Maiha's voice suddenly spoke directly behind Seihanine. "Excited are we?" she said gleefully. "We'll get to that part soon."

Seihanine whirled towards the sound of the voice, jumped back and fired another arrow.

Smiling, Maiha sidestepped the shot. "Why don't we have a little sisterly chat, Sei?" she asked.

Seihanine pulled out another arrow. "You're not my sister." she hissed.

Maiha stepped back into the fog. "Oh but I am, little Sei." she laughed. "I'm a lot of other things too. For example, I'm also the person who opened the western gates!"

Seihanine's eyes widened in fury. "You! You're the reason why-!"

Maiha's voice interrupted Seihanine's. "-Zein nearly died?" she asked. "I wish I was, baby sister, but the honor belongs to you I'm afraid."

Seihanine paused momentarily. "Me?" she asked. "What are you talking about, Maiha?"

Maiha laughed again and began to circle Seihanine. "Why don't you think a bit?" she asked. "You were the one Werewolf was going to slay, right? "

Seihanine looked about to ascertain Maiha's position. She had no intention of keeping this conversation with her deranged half-sister.

"Not talking?" Maiha asked. "Well, I can talk for the both of us, baby sister. You know I'm right."

Maiha's shadow flitted out of the corner of Seihanine's eye. She followed the silhouette and took a shot only to hear the arrow strike stone once again. More soft laughter echoed in the alley.

"I may have been the one who let Werewolf in but you where the one who put Zein in that position." Maiha said. "You put yourself in a situation where Zein had to choose between watching Werewolf pick you apart and doing his little stunt!"

Seihanine froze for another moment as the meaning in Maiha's words settled in. What disturbed her was that the words did make sense. She had stayed by the front lines while the rest of her division backed off. Still, it would have been better than letting Werewolf plow through the wizards behind her. "You're lying!" she answered. "Zein didn't have to do that to himself!"

Maiha's voice dripped amusement like the venom from her daggers. "Oh?" she replied. "And what were his options? Cast a simple spell and hope that it would stop Werewolf? Besides I've seen you do this to other people before."

Seihanine fired another arrow at her half-sister's voice. "Shut up!" she shouted. "What would you know about me, you psychopath?"

The arrow came out of the fog as if someone had tossed it. "I know a lot about you, baby sister." Maiha answered. "Let's mention a few names other than Zein's. How does Kherlen sound to you? Familiar? I bet he is!"

Seihanine concentrated harder on pinpointing the voice while Maiha continued to mock her from the fog. "I still remember that little hunting incident you had with that boy." Maiha said. "So he gets himself mauled by a savage right? And he tried so hard to profess his overwhelming affection for you…so what do you do? That's right; you called him savage-bait. He wasn't too pleased with that remark I believe."

Seihanine shook her head and tried to ignore Maiha's words.

"So he goes off to prove himself to you." Maiha went on. "A savage's mane was all he needed anyway. He just didn't want the beautiful, enchanting and highly-skilled Seihanine Xalascent to think of him as incompetent. How could he have any chance at her affections if she thought he was an idiot? Then he runs into a gullinbursti; what better opportunity to prove himself to the object of his affection! They did manage to bring him home after that little skirmish. The less gooey parts of him at least!"

Seihanine closed her eyes briefly and tried not to remember the unpleasant memory. Kherlen didn't have to prove anything! Even she couldn't have handled a gullinbursti. Savages alone were squat, vicious creatures with sharp tusks. They usually minded their own business but they were foul-tempered and territorial. Gullinbursti were larger versions of savages that were distinguished by their bristling, bright red fur. Unlike savages, gullinbursti were predators and humans were fair game to them.

"So who's the next guy?" Maiha went on. "I forget these things…oh yes! That cousin of ours, Eldrid! Incestuous, little bastard, really…not that I'm saying that incest is such a bad thing."

Seihanine fired two arrows at Maiha's voice. "Enough!" she cried out. "Fight me if that's what you're here for, Maiha! Stop your worthless drivel!"

Maiha continued laughing. "So our dear cousin goes over and "secretly" tells you of his feelings." she said. "What do you do? That's right, you let Reiz into the whole thing. He promptly challenged him in accordance to Xalascent clan law and proceeded to chopping him up. Reiz can be such a hothead as well as a stickler for rules. So that's two victims."

Seihanine's breathing quickened in growing fury. All of it was true. She didn't know what to do back then so she went to her brother for advice. She should have realized that he would react like that. He was always protective of her and sometimes he overdid things when she was involved. "Shut up, damn you!" she shouted. "Eldrid was crazy! You were the one who encouraged him to accept Kreizen's challenge!"

Maiha appeared out of the fog once more. This time, Seihanine's arrow managed to strike her high on the chest. The wound made her smile instead of hindering her. "Crazy?" she asked. "Well I suppose he was...for falling in love with you! You have a habit of getting men killed. And speaking of Reiz, he's had his own share of bad luck from you!" She suddenly vanished back into the fog. "Do you remember that wonderful time we had in Glastheim? I'm sure you do. How much trouble did Reiz get into just so you could take your shot at me? You did leave him in a roomful of raydrics as I recall. Your brother was going to end up dead prematurely and it was all thanks to you!"

Seihanine rushed towards the fog while trying to locate Maiha. "Stop it!"

Maiha suddenly appeared behind Seihanine. Malice sank into the huntress's side before she vanished once again. Seihanine fell to one knee.

"And of course there's Zein." Maiha said softly.

Seihanine clutched her head in an attempt to stop the flood of unwanted memories. "Shut up!" she cried out.

Maiha went on relentlessly. "You really think he developed that spell because he wanted to show the academy up?" she asked. "As I recall your distrust drove him to it! Well, we can see where you're leading him to!"

Seihanine finally caught sight of Maiha flitting about the fog. Two arrows whizzed towards her; burying themselves on her shoulder and arm. "You know nothing!' Seihanine shouted. "Nothing about me and nothing about Zein!"

Maiha pulled the arrows out and watch in amusement as blood spurted from the wounds. "Don't deny it, Sei!" she answered. "He's going to end up dead like the others! It's what happens to those you get close to! Kherlen died because of you! Eldrid did the same! Kreizen's practically dead for you! Clan Xalascent fell thanks to you! And now you have Trenzein following the same path!"

Seihanine's aim faltered."No! Clan Xalascent's fall was because of you!"

Maiha smirked at Seihanine and licked her lips. Any sort of pain she could inflict on her younger, half sister was delicious. It didn't matter if it was physical or emotional so long as there was something. "I may have killed several relatives, including your mother and our father, but you were the one who led the remaining members into a doomed expedition to hunt for me in Glastheim!" she crowed. "Well you had your revenge, Sei! You know the cost, oh yes!"

Seihanine's aim dropped. "I hate you." she said softly.

The assassin leaned forward and smiled. "What's that?" she asked. "You hide a lot of things behind that icy mask, Sei! Why don't you admit it? You don't adhere to clan beliefs and a code of honor like our brother. All you really care about is yourself and the suffering you cause! Why…you're just like me in that sense! Is that why you're trying to kill Zein?"

Seihanine raised her bow again. "I am not like you!" she shouted. "I am…I-!"

Maiha laughed again and vanished. Suddenly, Seihanine heard movement behind her.

"Sei!" someone called out.

Without considering that the voice didn't sound like Maiha, Seihanine turned around and took a shot.

And struck Trenzein on the chest. Seihanine gasped as he fell to the ground with a groan. "Zein!" she cried out. She rushed over the wizard. Her face twisted in regret and worry.

"Damn it, Sei!" Trenzein cursed. "Why did you shoot me?"

Seihanine shook her head in frustration and tried to focus. "Maiha she-damn you, Maiha!"

Maiha appeared in front of them. The morning fog was dissipating. "Well this is a change of pace!" She said. "Shooting him directly now, are we?"

Seihanine fired an arrow at Maiha. The shaft flew true; striking her on the chest. The wound was still not lethal.

"Yes…I think you're ready for this, Sei." Maiha said. "Let's get serious now!"

Maiha crossed the distance between her and her half-sister in less than a second. Malice and Fury cut through the fading, morning fog and into Seihanine's chest.

Seihanine ignored the attack and shot Maiha at pointblank range. The force of the arrow flung her half-sister back for several feet.

"The pain spurs you on don't you think?" Maiha asked as she stood up. Blood spurted from her wounds; staining the concrete she stood on. "You hate me so much now that it's starting to feel…different!"

Seihanine eyed the assassin coldly as she stood up. All traces of the emotions earlier were gone. "Be silent and fight." she hissed. "I murdered you once and I swear I'll do it again."

Maiha's laughter echoed in the alley. "Now here's a fight!" she said excitedly. She disappeared from her position and appeared right above Seihanine. Her daggers whipped about, slashing deep gouges on her half-sister's arms. Bright red blood splattered on the pavement.

Instead of faltering, Seihanine seemed to move faster. She rolled backwards and fired several arrows at Maiha, who dodged the first two arrows and allowed the third one to graze the side of her head.

Trenzein pulled the arrow out of his chest and tried to rise. Something was wrong in this fight. 'She's allowing Maiha to get to her.' he thought. He concentrated on a spell. Any spell that would allow him to help against Maiha. His hand did not crackle with power. He simply did not have the strength. 'I've got to do something! Sei…she's starting to fight like-!' His eyes widened in realization as he watched Seihanine fight. She was wounded in several places but, instead of weakening, she seemed to be fighting harder than ever. 'Damn it, Maiha! What did you tell her?'

Seihanine fired an arrow straight through Maiha's left arm, pinning it to her side. Fury clattered to the ground.

"You've got me good, baby sister!" Maiha taunted. "But I'm far from dead!"

Seihanine fired two more arrows at Maiha. The shafts buried themselves on her legs this time.

"That's right! Shoot! Shoot me more!"

Seihanine panted heavily. Her breathing was ragged and her arms were starting to burn from exertion as she fired. More arrows struck Maiha; on her arms, legs, chest. The feeling was…it was-

"Enough!" Trenzein shouted.

A massive wall of ice emerged between the two. Seihanine turned furiously at whoever cast the spell. How dare him? She was so close! So close to-

"You enjoyed that didn't you?" Maiha spoke. Maiha's voice was soft and affectionate behind the wall of ice. Seihanine's bow clattered on the ground. "I think that's enough for today, Sei."

With those words, Maiha Il-Xalascent was gone. Seihanine rushed towards Trenzein as he fell to his knees.

"Zein, I-"

Trenzein grabbed a hold of Seihanine's collar. "Never take on Maiha alone, Sei!" he rasped. "Never!"

Seihanine lowered her gaze when she noticed the arrow wound on Trenzein's chest. His harsh words added more to the shame she felt. She couldn't believe that she would ever shoot Trenzein. As for Maiha's words, she couldn't imagine herself believing them. However, no matter how insane Maiha was, she couldn't help but wonder.

'Was she right…about me?'


	46. Rainfall

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 44: Rainfall**

"I can go wherever I damn please, Eliarainne!" Cafilex shouted. "You have no right to tell me otherwise!" He slammed his hands against his bargaining table as he stared at his only daughter. The nerve of this girl! Cancelling his meeting with a client and then barging into his office to tell him to never visit the knight barracks again!

"I'm asking you, father." Eliarainne tried to keep her voice even. She had reminded herself that Makaelthos was able to deal with her father without flying into a rage. She had tried counting and she was already at two hundred without feeling even a fraction of her building rage dissipate. Nothing was working. "I'm asking you to stay out of the Regular Army's business and to stop hounding Makaelthos. Not only that, I also want you to cancel my engagement to Eldorius Sevrisn."

"I will not do either, Eliarainne!" Cafilex retorted. "I will not rest until that ditch knight is put in his proper place. As for your engagement to Eldorius, it will be over soon enough. Your wedding has been scheduled two weeks from now. The Sevrisns have already hired a priest to attend to the matter."

Eliarainne felt her control splinter. Talking to her father was like trying to move a Greatest General. He was rooted to the spot and he kept flailing away with everything he had when someone tried to move him. "You did not consult me about this matter again!" She said; her voice rising. "I am not marrying Eldorius Sevrisn! Not now nor two weeks from now!"

Cafilex raised an eyebrow as if challenging her. "And why not?" He asked. "It will be for the good of both parties, Eliarainne. Yours especially! Why are you being so stubborn about this?"

Eliarainne felt her head starting to throb and it was still early morning. Why was she being stubborn? She was the one being stubborn in this matter? "Why?" She retorted. "Because Eldorius is a lecherous bastard who can't see past his own slobbering desires! Because this isn't to benefit me, it's for your own business! Besides, I-!" She stopped herself. 'What was I thinking? I'm not-'

Cafilex's indignant reply broke past Eliarainne's thoughts. "You…what?" He asked. "You have someone else in mind? Why don't you tell me? And tell me why he's so much better anyway!"

Eliarainne felt her control snap. "Because you're a stubborn, old fool who can't see past your miserable business to ever bother about knowing what I feel or want!" She snarled. "You and Eldorius deserve each other, father! Why don't you marry him if you want their business that bad?"

Cafilex jumped to his feet at the remark. "Hold your insolent tongue, Eliarainne!" He shouted. "I ought to-!"

Eliarainne's voice lowered into a dangerous challenge. "You ought to what?" She asked. "Disown me? Why don't you do so already, Cafilex Sialsanderin? You've already stopped being my father the day I became a swordswoman!"

Cafilex lowered his voice as well. "Is this that ditch knight's idea?" He asked.

Eliarainne's eyes narrowed. The constant mention of "ditch knight" was really grating into her as much as it would have grated on Makaelthos. It was an undeserved and spiteful term that betrayed a person's judgmental attitude. "None of this is Makaelthos's idea, father." She answered. Once more she tried to control herself. She didn't want this conversation to fall into the same routine she had with her father. She refused to blow up and storm out of the house without resolving anything. "I'm asking you again to at least leave him alone if you cannot get your nose out of my affairs."

The blacksmith crossed his arms as he stared at Eliarainne. He showed no signs of giving in to either demand. "You've thwarted me so many times, Eliarainne." He said. "I will not let you ruin this."

The moment Eliarainne heard those words, she immediately clutched her head. The throbbing was increasing. She could feel fury rise to her chest. It surged inside her and threatened to explode into something violent. Already her hands were itching for the feel of oridecon. "You take that back." She said. Her voice was barely above a whisper but it wasn't due to control.

Cafilex remained silent.

"Take that back, damn you!" Eliarainne shouted. She pointed her halberd menacingly at her father's throat.

Cafilex did not flinch. "You would kill me, Eliarainne?" He asked. "For what? For whom?"

* * *

Makaelthos waited patiently outside Sialsanderin Manor. He could hardly believe that his partner actually wanted to visit her father at a time like this. Despite the strange circumstances, he had a feeling that the outcome will not change. Cafilex's stubborn nature was all too familiar to him. 'It must run in the family.' He thought. 'It's not that Eliarainne's any less stubborn.' He felt something wet drop on his cheek. He looked up at the gray skies above him. The skies had been overcast for a few days already. Rain was common during Pronteran autumns. Soon it would be snow falling out of the sky instead of water. "It's going to rain." He said to himself. He continued to stare at the sky; allowing the rain drops to fall to his face. Morning rains always did possess a melancholy atmosphere for him.

"Still watching the rain, Makaelthos?" Someone spoke to him from a distance. "You haven't changed."

Makaelthos turned towards the sound of the voice. He often disliked hearing familiar voices that did not remind him of anyone from the Regular Army. Still, with this one he could make an exemption. "But I have, Kallifen." He replied. "I wouldn't have left if I hadn't."

The voice laughed as Makaelthos turned to face it. He allowed himself to smile at Trynis Eviskrae's former bodyguard. Kallifen was an assassin who once served with him as servants to the Eviskrae family. When Trynis's father was murdered by rival rogues and assassins, they had escaped along with his only daughter; Trynis. It was through their hard work that she managed to eventually found NightKnife. "Quite true, Makaelthos." Kallifen said with a smile. "It's quite obvious now why you'll never change your mind. Although, Mistress Trynis seems to think so otherwise."

Makaelthos's smile disappeared at the mention of Trynis. "How is she these days, Kallifen?" He asked.

Kallifen stroked his graying goatee and watched Makaelthos curiously. "You're still concerned about her?" He replied. "That's surprising, Makaelthos. I thought you had severed your ties with each other when you left NightKnife."

Makaelthos avoided Kallifen's stare. It was true; he still cared for Trynis in some ways. Though not as he used to. He just didn't want her to come to any harm, especially with murdering monsters like Creivil working for her now. "I'm more concerned with how she's handling NightKnife these days." He said. "Creivil's presence concerns me."

Kallifen's expression grew serious. "As it does me, Makaelthos, Mistress Trynis's actions of late are sources of major concern among us longtime members."

Makaelthos watched Kallifen curiously. The years were beginning to wear on the assassin. There were a lot more grays in his hair and beard and a lot more lines around his face. Life had never been easy for an Eviskrae retainer and Makaelthos would always feel guilty that he likely aged Kallifen by several years by leaving NightKnife. It was strange though that the assassin would take the time to tell him all this. "What has she been doing?" He asked.

Kallifen seemed hesitant to reply and Makaelthos could understand. Trynis's suspicion of her own guild members bordered on paranoia so there was no doubt that they were being watched by someone from NightKnife. "The change of guild policies has been…tolerable." He answered. "What bothers me is her constant fixation on you. A lot of members who so much as mentioned your name carelessly have paid for it with their lives."

Makaelthos's concern over NightKnife increased. It had occured to him that Trynis would react like this to his departure but not to this extent. He had thought, no, he had hoped that Trynis would eventually move on. Perhaps find someone else and focus on her ambitions. Five years had passed and Makaelthos's hope had waned severely.

Kallifen continued describing the situation. "Creivil and a group of like-minded assassins and rogues want a confrontation between you and Trynis." He said. "They're hoping that, once Trynis kills you, NightKnife will stabilize again."

Makaelthos's eyes narrowed. "And what would you have me do?" He asked.

Kallifen prepared to leave. "There are two things you can do." He answered. "You can either rejoin NightKnife and resume your role as Trynis's right hand or you can end up dead. It's the only way she's ever going to stop."

Makaelthos's gaze lowered. Kallifen may as well have asked him whether he wanted to live or die in Trynis's name. Everything he could do seemed to be under her influence. "I cannot do either, Kallifen." He answered.

Kallifen flicked his long, braided hair casually. His mustache twitched slightly, a sign of either irritation or amusement. It was the latter that was apparent when he spoke again. "I thought so." He said. "Then all I can tell you is this. Step out of Trynis's influence before she consumes you once again. Nightknife isn't as passive in this war your city has been."

Makaelthos shifted his attention towards the manor. The rain was getting stronger now. "Is this all you came here for, Kallifen?" He asked.

Kallifen smiled in response. "In truth, I wanted to catch a glimpse of your new partner, Makaelthos." He answered.

Makaelthos did not bother turning. He knew instinctively that Kallifen had already gone. As if on cue, Eliarainne stormed out of her mansion. "How did it go?" He asked her.

To Makaelthos's surprise, Eliarainne's voice sounded more tired than angry. "He won't budge, damn him!" She replied.

The both of them walked towards the First Knight Division's station. The attack was to begin about a few hours before noon; long enough for the First to Third Wizard Divisions to assault the kobold tribes along with the doppelganger's division. His eyes narrowed as he recalled the strange smile on "Sir Buck's" face. The doppelganger had succeeded in earning the trust of the Regular Army. It was a good thing that he was assigned to handle the remaining kobolds. It would have complicated matters if he had a direct way to combat the remaining immortals that besieged Prontera.

"Makaelthos." Eliarainne spoke.

Makaelthos looked at his partner. She was staring at her hands. What worried him was that her fingers were shaking. "Yes, Eliarainne?" He replied.

Eliarainne turned to stare at him. He grew even more concerned. It seemed as if every confrontation she had with her father sapped more of her flagging strength. That she wasn't getting enough sleep was also starting to take its toll. "About those things my father told you." She began.

Makaelthos kept silent as Eliarainne hesitated. It took a lot to avoid aggravating Cafilex Sialsanderin with a retort each time the blacksmith called him a ditch knight. However, as much as he wanted to make Cafilex eat every word he spat out, he knew that it would only worsen Eliarainne's already deteriorating relationship with her father. "I don't mind it." He said.

Eliarainne did not seem convinced. "It's just that…he's making a complete ass of himself and he has to involve you into this whole thing." She went on "Each time he calls you ditch knight I just feel that it's partially my fault."

Makaelthos smiled briefly. "Well it's not, Eliarainne." He replied. "Cafilex does what he does without ever considering you so why should you take the blame for his actions?"

Eliarainne to muster a smile and failed. The rain was really falling now. It ran down their armor and soaked their capes. Her eyes spoke of emotions trying to burst through. Still, she held them back. "But it is!" She insisted. "He's doing this because I can't make him stop. I could put a stop to this engagement business if I just…if I-"

Makaelthos's face grew serious.

_"Get out of her influence before she consumes you again…"_

He continued walking; picking up the pace. It was almost as if he was trying to escape the situation. "Battle's starting soon." He said. "Don't let your father distract you, Eliarainne, we need you at your fighting form today."

Eliarainne stopped walking.

_"For whom?"_

"It's not about him, Makaelthos. It's-"

Makaelthos stopped as well. He did not turn to look at his partner. He dreaded the words that would come next. What made it so frightening was that he wanted to hear them and, at the same time, he was wary of the consequences. "Eliarainne-" He began.

"I'm in love with you."

Makaelthos froze as soon as the words reached him. The rain was really pouring now.

Eliarainne felt her chest tighten when he remained silent. She had finally blurted it out; the words that she had wanted to say to Makaelthos for the years they served together. It had been torture when she thought about it so she had kept it to the back of her mind. She did not want to drive Makaelthos away with her feelings but the whole engagement with Eldorius kept bringing those same feelings to her each time it was mentioned. And now...she couldn't help it.

The silence grew unbearable. Makaelthos continued to stare at the rain. Finally he decided to speak.

"Don't be."

Makaelthos's words were barely audible amidst the noise of the raindrops hitting the stone pavement. Nonetheless, they reached Eliarainne. She stood there for a long time as he began to walk once more.

'I…I-' Was all she could think.

Another inner voice seemed to scream inside Eliarainne.

_'You fool! You weak, pathetic, fool! Relying on fleeting emotions like child!'_

Eliarainne clutched her head painfully. The feeling was both terrible and strangely welcome. The hurt was too much for her. It felt as if Makaelthos had turned around and stabbed her with his saber. She could feel the imaginary blade twist inside her chest. All she needed to feel now was-

Eliarainne's eyes turned red.

* * *

From the darkened halls of Glastheim, Baphomet stirred within his lair. He felt a presence he never expected. 'Another demon roams Prontera? Interesting...perhaps I should welcome it to Rune-Midgard.' He thought. He licked his fangs and grinned. There was only one way a demon greeted another demon. His crescent scythe flashed menacingly in the darkness.


	47. Clan Xalascent

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 45: Clan Xalascent**

"Ho, Silmeia!"

Kreizen waved a hand as he approached his priestess friend. Silmeia smiled and waved back. "How's Zein?" he asked. "I heard that he got himself seriously injured!"

Silmeia nodded and walked with the blacksmith towards the infirmary. She had just finished ensuring that the Second Priest Division was ready for combat. They had a few more hours before the attack commenced. "He's doing better, Reiz." she replied. "He almost died but he's better."

Kreizen's eyes widened in surprise. "Almost died!" he exclaimed. "How did Sei take it?"

Silmeia remembered the heartbroken look on Seihanine when everyone had believed that Trenzein was truly dead. It was so unlike her that Silmeia thought that she had turned into someone else when she gripped Trenzein's body. Her icy, pale blue eyes turned liquid blue with emotion for that moment and they blazed with fire when Raven Huer appeared. Only Kreizen or Trenzein could ever ignite such emotions from her. "She took it pretty badly." Silmeia answered. "She's staying with him right now, I believe."

Kreizen suddenly grinned and rubbed his hands together. He looked like a conspirator whose plans were under way. "Well at least something good is coming out of this!" he said.

Silmeia smiled at Kreizen's hinting. Leave it to Kreizen Xalascent to find a bright side to a near-death experience. She had also noticed the closeness between Trenzein and Seihanine. Whatever they had between them fluctuated often though. It depended on the moods of Trenzein's pride or Seihanine's distance. "You seem awfully supportive of those two, Reiz." she commented.

Kreizen raised an eyebrow. "Why shouldn't I be?" he asked. "I think Zein's a good man. Besides, Sei really likes him. Not only that but they've been going at it ever since we first met him in Glastheim."

It was Silmeia's turn to raise an eyebrow. "You first met Zein in Glastheim?" she asked. "That's a strange place to meet."

Kreizen laughed briefly. "I never told you did I?" he asked. "Sei and I were traveling with some other relatives to Glastheim to-" His voice faltered at the next word. Silmeia was quick to notice this. "-hunt down a fugitive from our clan when we encountered Zein. He was looking for this "last locked door" thing. By himself too."

Silmeia smiled at Kreizen as she opened the door to the infirmary. In a way, she envied him for having so many fond memories with his younger sister. "Your travels must have let you-" her voice trailed off as she looked inside the infirmary. Both Seihanine and Trenzein were gone.

"What the-?" Kreizen spoke from behind her. "I thought you said they were in here, Silmeia?"

Silmeia's eyes narrowed. "They were supposed to be." she answered. "Trenzein shouldn't even be walking yet and Sei-"

Kreizen searched the room quickly. There was no sign of his sister in the room except- "Kalyx!" he called out as soon as he saw Seihanine's constant companion. The falcon screeched and landed on his shoulder. "Sei's in trouble! Kalyx never leaves her side unless she needed help!" He rushed out of the infirmary and followed the falcon with Silmeia right behind him. "How stupid of me!" he cursed. "I should never have thought she would be completely safe here in Prontera!" He ran faster; forcing Silmeia to struggle just to keep up. All sorts of possibilities entered his mind. He and his sister had made plenty of enemies here in Prontera; especially within the Blacksmith Guild's Pronteran Branch. The falcon ahead of him screeched once again and flew ahead. He let out a sigh of relief as he saw his sister walk towards him. She was supporting Trenzein, who was barely standing. They were both wounded, as if they had been in a difficult battle. "Sei! What happened?" he called out to them.

Seihanine smiled weakly as she approached Kreizen.

"Brother…"

* * *

Kreizen and Silmeia did not waste time in bringing the two back to the infirmary.

"How are they doing?" Kreizen asked as he watched Silmeia worriedly.

Silmeia allowed herself a smile. "They'll be fine." she answered. "Trenzein's suffered an arrow wound to his chest while Seihanine has several cuts on her arms. Kreizen, how long has Sei had that scar on her face?"

Kreizen frowned. "A scar?" he asked. "I've never noticed. Then again I haven't seen Sei for nearly two days."

Silmeia was silent for a while. "It's not that prominent." she said. "I've seen scars like that before; they come from deep cuts that receive only minor healing spells and then allowed to heal naturally. Whatever made that cut probably made her wounds today."

Kreizen stood in thoughtful silence. "I see." he finally said. "I'll have to talk to Sei about this. Would you mind leaving us alone for a while? It's sort of private."

Silmeia watched Kreizen with a hint of concern. He was never the type to keep secrets unless it involved some very personal matters. A deeply private person herself, she had to respect his boundaries. "Alright then, Reiz." she said. "I'll be waiting with my division for the attack."

Kreizen patted Silmeia on the back and reentered the infirmary where he saw his sister sitting next to Trenzein's bed. "Seihanine." he called her attention. He watched his sister carefully as she rose to talk to him. The look on her face told him that she already knew where this conversation was headed. Trenzein shifted uncomfortably between them as he lay on his bed.

"Reiz." Seihanine answered.

Kreizen kept his voice even. It was obvious to both Trenzein and Seihanine that he was having a hard time keeping it that way though. He was never the type to conceal whatever he felt. "What happened to the both of you, Seihanine?" he asked them.

Seihanine was silent for a long time. She couldn't look at her brother in the eye. "We were attacked." she finally answered.

Kreizen's voice cracked briefly, revealing a steadily growing hint of anger. "I know you were attacked!" he responded. "I can see its marks on you! Who attacked you?"

Seihanine winced at her brother's harsh words. She seemed to physically shrink from Kreizen as he continued. "It was…Maiha." she said weakly.

Kreizen's nostrils flared. Still, he restrained himself. He had to make sure. "Maiha Il-Xalascent is dead, Seihanine." he said.

Seihanine stared at the floor like a beaten child. "She managed to survive Glastheim." she answered. "She came to here to taunt me. I followed and fought her-"

Kreizen pressed on relentlessly."And did you kill her?" he asked.

Seihanine shook her head meekly. "She…escaped."

Kreizen clenched his fists. "How long have you known Maiha was still alive?" he asked.

Seihanine was silent again. It took a great deal of effort on her part to answer. "A few days." she finally managed to reply.

Kreizen's eyebrows furrowed. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked. "Why did you try to handle her by yourself?"

Seihanine's voice seemed to get weaker with each question. "I couldn't believe it myself at first." she answered. "I wanted to kill her again before things got out of hand. I didn't think-"

Kreizen backhanded Seihanine on the cheek. Though he held back for as much as he could, the force of the blow knocked her to the ground.

"And when were you planning to think?" he roared. "When you were dead by Maiha's hand? The hunting down of an Il-Xalascent is the responsibility of the clan patriarch, _Sehanein_! You know that!"

Trenzein gasped at the unnecessary violence and struggled to rise. Kreizen was furious now. He could tell from the way the blacksmith suddenly used Seihanine's Payonese name. "Kreizen, this isn't her-!" he protested.

The blacksmith raised his hand without taking his sight off Seihanine. His eyes were hard and stern and his voice was harsh. "Don't interfere, Trenzein." He said. "This is a Xalascent matter. I'm having this conversation with you around because you're already involved with this matter over Maiha."

Trenzein bristled at the remark. "Xalascent matter!" he scoffed. "You're the only two Xalascents alive!"

Kreizen responded with a glare. "Number makes no difference, Trenzein!" he retorted. "Even if our clan was down to one member, clan precepts must be followed."

Trenzein was about to reply when Seihanine stopped him. "Zein, don't." she said. "He's right."

Seihanine wiped the trickle of blood that escaped from her lips as she stood up. She did not look at her brother. Instead, she kept her head bowed meekly. "Forgive me, my brother." she said.

Kreizen's expression softened. "You nearly died during that encounter in Glastheim, Sei." he said. "Just how many times would you have me watch you risk your life against that madwoman before you realize that you can't take her on alone?"

Seihanine traced her finger across her face. Kreizen easily recognized the jagged-edged wound that only Malice would leave. "She's left another mark on you." he said.

Seihanine flinched as more memories came to mind; things she thought she had left in Glastheim when she thought that Maiha was finally dead.

Kreizen turned to leave. "Get your rest, Sei." he told her. "I will handle Maiha from now on." He opened the door and looked back at her one more time. "I swore once that I would never let Maiha scar you like that again, Sei. Don't make me break that promise again."

Seihanine nodded. "I won't." she replied.

Trenzein sat up as soon as Kreizen left. "Why'd you let him hit you like that?" he asked Seihanine.

Seihanine leaned against a wall and relaxed. It was extremely rare that Kreizen would ever get so angry and concerned at the same time. The blow meant nothing if it meant that she had gotten him so worked up. "Because I deserved it, Zein." she said. "Kreizen's right, I should have told him about Maiha before going after her like that."

Trenzein frowned at her reaction. "But that's no reason to hit you!" he insisted.

Seihanine felt her cheek. Despite his obvious holding back, a blow from Kreizen's heavily-muscled arms was strong enough to raise welts and draw blood. "The blow means nothing." she answered. "In fact, it's a way to show how much he really cares. You don't have siblings of any sort, Zein. I don't expect you to understand."

Trenzein crossed his arms. "Oh, I've seen what siblings do to each other!" he retorted.

Seihanine's eyes narrowed. "Don't compare Reiz with Maiha, Zein!" she snapped. "He already has a lot to bear by just being the Xalascent patriarch. Now the responsibility of hunting down and slaying Maiha falls to him as well. I didn't want that to happen which was why I tried to take on Maiha by myself. Besides, Xalascent precepts have to be obeyed. It's what keeps us from being Il-Xalascent."

Trenzein was silent after that one. Seihanine was right, he knew little about family matters. Unlike Seihanine, he didn't have a "Clan Zaisen" to worry about. The last time he saw his parents was that time his mother enrolled him to the Geffen Magic Academy. After that, there was nothing. Another thought suddenly occurred to him. "Kreizen mentioned something about not letting Maiha scar you again." he said. "I don't see any other scar besides the one on your face."

Seihanine's expression hardened. "There's another one." she said. "Remember that incident in Glastheim?"

Trenzein nodded. "Of course." he replied. "That was the first time we really met as I recall. Bloody affair…I thought everything would be over after that."

Seihanine turned around and took her shirt off.

Trenzein's eyes narrowed as he saw a large, jagged scar that ran along the back of her left shoulder and down to the middle of her shoulder blades. The edges of the scar showed marks of being badly burned while the skin around the old wound was still red. "By God, what happened to that?" he asked.

Seihanine put her shirt back on. "Remember when we got separated during the third day?" she asked.

Trenzein nodded again. He recalled that part of the incident. A couple of abysmal knights had attacked their expedition; forcing them all to scatter. It took him a day before he found the two Xalascents.

"When I got separated, Maiha came out of hiding and fought with me." Seihanine continued. She clenched her fists at the mention of her half-sister. "She won. The next thing I knew she had sliced this wound open and was watching me bleed to death. Kreizen found us just in time to fend her off. It would have been too late though. He had no more potions of any kind. There was no priest around and I would have been dead in an hour. The only way to close it was by cauterization."

Trenzein's eyes widened. He could only imagine the agony of cauterizing such a large wound.

Seihanine clutched her arms as she continued. "It was the only way. Silmeia has tried everything to get rid of it or, at least, lessen its damage but there's nothing even the strongest of healing spells could do. It still looks the same as the day it was made." She closed her eyes. She could still remember the entire thing; the grim, regretful expression on Kreizen's face as he held the red hot piece of oridecon ever closer, the terrible, burning pain she felt when her brother touched the searing piece to her shoulder, the awful stench of burnt flesh and the bitter realization that she would carry that ugly scar for the rest of her life. It was Maiha Il-Xalascent's greatest triumph over her. "Maiha!" she spoke the name with quiet rage. "It always falls to Maiha. Everything that's ever happened always falls to her! Everything! I'll do anything to kill her!"

Trenzein's eyes narrowed at the last remark. Seihanine's words dripped more venom and hate than Maiha's daggers. "Would you take her place for that?" he asked.

Both of them became silent for the rest of the morning.

* * *

**World Notes**

**Clan Patriarch - **A Payonese clan is led by the Clan Patriarch; often the eldest son of the previous patriarch. If the eldest cannot assume the position, it is given to the nearest male relative. The Clan Patriarch rules his clan absolutely; making all major decisions, upholding clan precepts and representing his clan in all things. He is advised by a council made up of the eldest male members of the clan. **  
**


	48. Abysmal knights

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 46: Abysmal Knights**

"Sir, Fourth Knight Division ready for duty, sir!"

Heivan Nall, the new second-in-command of the Fourth Knight Division sounded off. Agranias returned the salute as he inspected his new troops. He did not expect that he would be assigned to handle a knight division. Not that he was not used to leading him own troops. 'A strange development.' he thought. 'Do they trust me that much already?'

He suddenly stiffened as the Fourteenth Knight Division passed by.

The new Fourteenth Knight Commander, Sir Joe Buck, smirked as he passed close to Agranias. "Good to be fighting on the same side, Agranias." he said.

Agranias watched the doppelganger lead his own division of knights to the western gates. He still couldn't believe that the immortal was an actual full-fledged knight. 'So he's a "knight" now, is he?' he thought. 'Strange developments indeed.' He signaled his men to be at ease. They still had an about a few hours before the wizard divisions attacked the remaining kobolds. In the meantime, he decided to spend his remaining time contemplating his situation. He walked the streets of Prontera slowly. The citizenry was in a state of fear now. The attack on the cathedral had shaken everyone badly. Not only that, the breakthrough from the west gates as well as the death of Koullufen Aethernas were obvious signs that they were dealing with truly dangerous enemies. The Regular Army could not keep them entirely safe. He suddenly bumped into someone as he continued walking. "Excuse me." he said.

Before Agranias could walk past the person he bumped into, a pair of arms suddenly held him by the shoulders. "Captain Agranias!" the person said.

Agranias's eyes narrowed as he stared at the cloaked figure in front of him. The man was only slightly shorter than him. That alone was suspicious given that he towered over everyone in Prontera. For someone to match his height would mean...the man took off his hood; revealing black irises and short, spiky, black hair. He recognized the smooth, unmarked face and the boyish-looking eyes and nose. "Selinas?" he asked in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

Selinas let out a sigh of relief. "I've found you at last!" he said in relief. "I was starting to believe that the Dark Lord had killed you after the troop tried to hunt you down!"

Agranias stared at his former subordinate dubiously. Selinas still referred to him as "Captain" even though the position now belonged to Aelumina. What puzzled him though was why Selinas was searching for him in Prontera.

"Captain, I came here to convince you to return to our lord's service." Selinas said.

Agranias's expression saddened. He knew that he had no one in the troop more loyal to him than Selinas. "Selinas, I'm no longer your captain." he answered. "Aelumina is. Besides, I have no intention to return to the Lord of Death's service."

The younger-looking abysmal knight did not look discouraged. Although, he was puzzled by Agranias's reply. "Sir Agranias, you're the only one who's capable of leading the troop." he pressed on. "My sister, she...she's too ambitious and self-centered. She can't handle the rest of us as you could!"

Agranias thought hard for a while. Selinas had always been his supporter during his time as captain of the abysmal knight troop. In those days, the power struggle between him and his second-in-command had polarized several abysmal knights to two sides. Some like Cafranel and Dornacath were too focused on fulfilling the wishes of the Lord of Death to bother with their immediate leaders. Others, like Selinas and Ixyll, supported Agranias's leadership. The power-hungry ones, like Phaernal and Dervos, sided with Aelumina, hoping to secure a position for themselves should the captaincy ever change. "Selinas, that's out of my hands." he answered. "The Lord of Death ordered my execution remember?"

Selinas remained resolute despite the refusal. "The Lord of Death did that just to set an example." he insisted. "I'm sure he'll let you lead the troop if you swear fealty to him again."

Agranias looked away. "Selinas, I can't do that." he said. "I can't swear fealty to someone whose principles no longer appeal to me."

Selinas's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by that, Sir Agranias?" he asked.

Agranias expression grew determined. "You were there when I refused to slay those novices, remember?" he asked. "I still abide by that decision."

Selinas clenched his hands into fists. "Captain, that's absurd." he said. "There should be no other things for us other than the orders of the Lord of Death!"

Agranias watched as a pair of acolytes passed them. Prontera was still oblivious to the presence of a pair of abysmal knights in their midst. "Selinas, if you truly believe that then you would not be here searching for me today." he replied.

Selinas was silent for a time. "Is really no way you're ever coming back to the troop, Sir Agranias?" he asked.

Agranias did not hesitate with his reply. There was only one path for him now. "No way at all, Selinas." he answered. "Forget about my involvement with the abysmal knights or the Lord of Death. My place is in Prontera now."

Selinas's hands went to the pair of swords that hung from both sides of his waist.

Agranias noticed the movement and moved his hand to his own sword. "You would fight me now, Selinas?" he asked.

Selinas gripped his swords tightly. "If I cannot persuade you then I have no choice but to treat you as an enemy of the Lord of Death!" he answered.

Agranias was about to draw his sword when he heard a familiar voice call his name.

"Sir Agranias!" Silmeia called out and then moved hurriedly towards him. There was something in the way he face the one he was talking to that spoke of hostility.

"Silmeia!" Agranias turned his attention towards her worriedly. If Silmeia saw him in this compromising situation...

Selinas watched the priestess intently. He recognized her somehow. Finally he was beginning to understand Agranias's situation. "Captain...it's not about those novices in that forest is it?" he asked. "It's about that priestess in the desert!"

Agranias expression hardened. He did not want to reveal himself accidentally because of Selinas's carelessness. "Selinas, leave!" he threatened. "If you draw your sword here you will be staring down the points of over a hundred lances in this city!"

Selinas's eyes narrowed as he released his weapons. Agranias was right; he was in enemy territory after all. Besides, there was no longer any need to slay him. "I leave for now, Sir Agranias!" he said. "But trust me, I will walk this city's streets soon enough! "Our" lord will see to that!"

Silmeia's hands glowed with holy energy. It was obvious now that the man Agranias called "Selinas" was an enemy. Before she could cast a spell, the man suddenly dashed from the street and into a nearby alley. She was about to follow when Agranias stopped her.

"Don't chase him, Silmeia!" Agranias warned. "He's probably outside Prontera by now."

Silmeia stopped in her tracks and turned around. Agranias was right; whoever this Selinas was, he would probably carry a butterfly wing that was keyed to some hideout outside Prontera. "Sir Agranias, was that man-?" she asked.

Agranias nodded. "A member of my former troop." he replied.

Silmeia's expression grew serious. As if Prontera didn't have enough problems, now they had to deal with a band of rogue knights. "What was he doing here?" she asked. "Was he sent by your former commander to kill you?"

Agranias was silent for a while. What was Selinas doing here? Was he under orders from Aelumina? Or perhaps from the Lord of Death himself? It was strange that he would come by himself as well. The abysmal knights always traveled by twos. If Selinas was alone it could only mean that he was not under orders from anyone. 'Selinas...' he thought. 'He'd breach orders just to get me back?"

_"You're the only one capable of handling the troop."_

Selinas's words echoed in Agranias's mind. 'I am still an abysmal knight.' he reminded himself. 'The only difference now is that I'm hiding it under the guise of a knight commander and Silmeia-' He suddenly remembered what happened yesterday. 'I was a fool to let myself go like that. If Silmeia ever finds out...no, she will find out eventually.'

Silmeia stared curiously at Agranias. He had become quiet all of a sudden. "Agranias, what's wrong?" she asked.

Agranias shifted his attention back to Silmeia. "Silmeia, about yesterday..." he began.

Silmeia remembered the incident at the mansion and reddened. The entire thing was...instinctive. She barely knew what was going on herself when it happened. It was clear now that she was attracted to Agranias. He was different from the other knights, priests or anyone else for that matter. He had his own secrets to keep and his own burdens to carry. They were alike in so many ways that it frightened her to think that there was someone out there who felt the same way as she did. If only he would say more about himself though. What was his involvement with Lystra? What was this troop of knights that he was trying so hard to escape? "Yesterday...Agranias, I-" she replied.

Agranias shook his head. "Silmeia, you-I mean we shouldn't." he began. "It's not right."

Silmeia stepped closer to Agranias. "Right?" she asked. "What do you mean? What's so wrong about it?"

Agranias felt his resolve waver. He knew that it would be better not to involve himself with Silmeia like this. Complications were sure to arise. He had to put a stop to whatever this was while he can. "Silmeia, there are things about me that-"

Silmeia cut him off at once. "That I don't know right?" she said. "Just as there are things about me that you don't know. It doesn't matter. Agranias, I love you, it's something I want to do whether it's right or not!"

Agranias was at a loss. Hearing those words broke his resolve completely. All he wanted now was...no, he couldn't...he shouldn't- "Silmeia, I love you too, but-" he heard himself speak.

Silmeia cut him off again by putting a finger between his lips. With her other hand, she grabbed hold of the collar of his dark armor and pulled him to her level. "No buts." She whispered. "Just show me."

Agranias's lips closed in on Silmeia's hungrily. There was no point in denying it anyway. Every instinct in him screamed for this. His heart, a thing he had long considered blackened and dead, throbbed for it. His hands went to her back.

Silmeia felt the Agranias's hand run up and down her hair; brushing it against her back. The feeling was...good; wonderful. She wanted to stop. After all, they were in a busy street with soldiers coming and going and everybody was probably staring at them for now. But Agranias was never this...passionate before. With the coming battles, he may not be anymore soon. Her hands tried to reach his torso but his black armor prevented any sort of contact. She sighed beneath his kiss. Things were a bit...one-sided. She just wished there was something she could do to make Agranias feel the same way she did about now.

All around the two, people were beginning to stare. While many of them suppressed snickers and not-so-polite remarks, no one could keep from smiling in bemusement. For a brief moment, the people who watched them forgot that they were surrounded by orcs; that the cathedral had burned down, that the Dark Lord, Baphomet, and all sorts of horrid monsters prowled the nights and that they had already lost so many to this siege. Old people who watched them wished that they were young again while young ones sighed in envy or longing. A few people who watched them stared disapprovingly of the two.

"That is no conduct befitting a priestess! Right before an important attack too!"

One knight shushed the old merchant who made the remark. "Hush your mouth!" He said. "That's Second Head Priestess Silmeia Cafilence! It's about damn time she got that kind of...stuff. I mean there's the First Knight Commander and Sir Makaelthos at one side and then there's that Zaisen fellow and Mister Xalascent's younger sister. You think that, with all that action around her, she's just going to sit around...praying?"

Another knight interrupted the first one. "Shut both your mouths!" he said. "The way you're talking you sound like they're miles away from you!"

* * *

From his lair in Glastheim, Abraxil Sovivor watched the two with extreme interest. It was the great thing about involving love in his plans. It was incredibly predictable yet volatile at the same time. Even he did not expect things to get this far in such a short period of time. It only proved how emotionally unstable Silmeia Cafilence was and how much of a fool the Lord of Death's former captain was as well. 'No wonder you wanted him dead, Lord of Death.' he thought. 'Foolishness is contagious. Still, it was a brilliant move on my part to spare him from you troop." He remembered accidentally running into the injured abysmal knight while he was near the grave of Lystra Cafilence. It was a sheer stroke of genius to let him and Silmeia meet that day. All he had to do was protect him from the rest of his troop.

The Dark Lord continued to watch. Just a few more days. A few more days of love before everything crumbled apart and he would stand triumphant.


	49. The doppelganger's assault

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 47: The doppelganger's assault**

'How boring.' The doppelganger thought as he watched his division line up for inspection with disinterest. He wasn't interested in seeing whether his knights were ready to fight or not. He can take care of everything anyway. Leading them would be pointless if all he was going to get were a bunch of frightened dog-men. It was disheartening, really. These were times when he wished he didn't look so human. His partner was going to lose himself among those who were going to attack the main orcish camp. 'He'd better share whatever essence he gets!' He thought indignantly. 'We're supposed to be partners!'

Sir Joe Buck's second-in-command, a female knight named Caltressa, approached her Knight Commander. "Sir, Fourteenth Knight Division ready for duty, sir!" She sounded off.

Sir Joe Buck didn't even seem to hear his second. 'I wonder how Moony is doing.' He thought. 'Maybe he's still hugging that blacksmith fellow. He really did look like he was enjoying himself.' He thought hard for a while. Moonlight Flower did not look like the kind of immortal who did anything for fun. Perhaps there was a reason for hugging that blacksmith.

"Sir Buck!"

The doppelganger frowned at the interruption. "What, damn it!" He retorted.

Caltressa saluted before gesturing towards the division. "The troops are ready for inspection, sir." She said.

Sir Joe Buck glanced at his troop lazily. His division was really just composed of knights who were only a little better than good swordsmen. There must have been something in his expression that tipped people off about how he felt. His second-in-command shifted uncomfortably. "Sir Buck..." She began.

The doppelganger went back to pondering about Moonlight's strange behavior. 'Let's see, Moony had a female body so he was hugging men.' He reasoned. 'I have a male body here so-' His thoughts were interrupted again when his second cleared her throat loudly.

"Sir Buck, I know we may not have a spectacular fighting history in this war like you do." She said. "I doubt if any of us could stand against a unit of high orcs alone like you did but please give us a chance before you look down on us."

Sir Joe Buck stared at the red-haired knight in front of him in confusion. 'What the hell is this knight blathering about?' He asked himself. 'Wait a minute...she'll do for my little experiment!' He finally made a conclusion about Moonlight's behavior. He had to try it out for himself, although with a few minor adjustments. "Dame Caltressa Auruvinai, right?" He asked his second. He studied the female knight carefully. His second had shoulder-length, fiery red, hair. Her green eyes hinted more emotion than she was willing to express to him and her skin was pale like many Pronterans. For a knight, she seemed...too young for her armor. Maybe because she was a little short and quite slender. There was something girlish about her posture that made her seem younger than she actually was. She was no blacksmith but-

"Yes, sir." Caltressa answered.

Sir Joe Buck suddenly leaned closer. "Would you mind if I hug you?" He whispered.

Caltressa's eyes widened in surprise as she took an involuntary step backward. "H-Hug me, sir?" She asked.

Sir Joe Buck watched his second in impatience. "Yes, yes, hug you." He replied. "Just stand there alright?"

Caltressa's cheeks reddened while she watched the rest of the division. Instinctively, she lowered her voice. "B-but, Sir!" She protested. "In front of the other knights?"

SirJoe Buck waved a hand impatiently. "Yes, in front of the other knights." He answered. "It's not like I'm raping you or anything. Just a brief hug."

Caltressa stood rigidly in front of her Knight Commander. "V-very well then, sir." She said. "If you insist."

Sir Joe Buck grinned and stepped forward. Before Caltressa could react, he locked her into a tight embrace. The other knights immediately gasped in surprise while their second-in-command reddened further. Sir Joe Buck raised an eyebrow. He could feel the softness of this knight's body underneath her full plate and it did feel quite...good. Still, he had expected a rush of power from the entire experience. While he felt a brief sensation of heat in his body, there was nothing else. 'Nothing special about it.' He thought. He released his second and began to ponder once more. He was completely unaware that the rest of his division was staring incredulously at him now. 'Maybe it really has to be a man, regardless of what body you're in. Okay, let's try that.'

Sir Joe Buck walked around the rows of knights. Although most of them managed to keep a straight face as he studied them, a few lips twitched as if trying to suppress an emotion. He found one particular member of his division who sort of looked like the blacksmith. "You there!" He said urgently. "Step out of that line!" The knight saluted and obeyed. He approached the man studied him from head to toe. This man also had short, black hair and his eyes were also blue like the blacksmith's. He was not as brawny though and his face was more pointed at the chin than the blacksmith's. "Well that's as close I can get, I suppose." He said. "Stand there while I hug you!"

The knight's jaw dropped. "H-Hug me, sir?" He protested.

Sir Joe Buck did not bother replying and locked the man in an embrace. He felt absolutely nothing this time. 'Still nothing!' He thought. 'Damn it! What am I doing wrong? Maybe it has to be a blacksmith.' He let the man go and began to ponder once more. The knights of the Fourteenth Knight Division were staring at him in puzzlement. He was about to ask them had a blacksmith when he heard a the distinct blare of a Pronteran trumpet. "Oh great, that's the signal!" He said excitedly. "Let's go, men!" He dashed ahead of his troops at a speed even their pecopecos could not catch up with. In less than a few minutes, he had dashed out of the western gates ahead of any wizard or knight division. A pair of kobolds rushed to engage him; their axes waving menacingly close to his neck. In the next moment, their halves hit the ground long after he had passed them. The First and Second Wizard divisions found themselves struggling to keep him in their sights.

"Isn't the Fourteenth Knight Division's mission just to provide us with backup? What's Knight Commander Buck doing?"

"The man's as crazy as he's fast. Just concentrate on your spells! Keep it flashy as possible, men! We need to scare them away!"

A barrage of elemental bolts descended on the scattered kobolds. Before the barrage could even hit, several blasts of whirling fire and ice descended along with them. A few meteors crashed into random places; their explosions flinging kobolds everywhere. The rest of the Fourteenth Knight Division kept near the wizard divisions except for their second-in-command; who rushed among the exploding spells to find her Knight Commander.

"Sir Buck!" Caltressa shouted; trying to make herself heard through all the explosions.

Sir Joe Buck waved his broadsword about; cutting up three to four kobolds with each swing. He paused for a moment when he heard someone call his name.

Caltressa plunged her claymore into the chest of one mace-wielding kobold and approached her Knight Commander. "Sir Buck, you're too far ahead!" She yelled.

Sir Joe Buck grinned fiercely and sliced open the bellies of his kobold opponents. "Nonsense!" He answered. "I can see the wizards over there can't I? We're still pretty close!"

Caltressa's eyes widened at her Knight Commander's logic. "But, Sir Buck, our mission is just to guard the wizard divisions!" She protested.

Sir Joe Buck was about to encase another kobold in ice when he remembered that he was supposed to be "just a knight". "We are guarding them, Caltressa!" He answered. "What better way to that than to ensure that no one's around to attack them?"

Caltressa gave up on convincing him. Joe Buck maybe a superb fighter but his way of thinking was extremely weird. Despite the danger, she remembered him asking her for a hug. 'Hugs, indeed!' She thought. 'This man's thinking has problems!' She concentrated on beating back the kobolds that were surrounding them. As much as she hated to admit it, a hug from Sir Joe Buck actually felt good. She did not have the time for such things when she was fighting against the orcs for the past week it was certainly a surprise to receive one from her new Knight Commander. While his thinking might be odd, Sir Joe Buck was...good-looking; as well as friendly and incredibly brave. She had seen him plunge headlong into a pack of high orcs during one of the battles against the tribes. He had sliced through the blue-skinned monsters in order to protect one unit of acolytes from the Second Priest Division. She had felt a glimmer of admiration for Sir Joe Buck since that day. Meeting the man up close was a different experience though. Now, she doubted if he rushed that unit of high orcs to save the acolytes or solely for the purpose of killing more orcs.

"The humans are raining magic from the sky itself!" One kobold howled. "Run for your lives! Without Werewolf we are lost!" The blue-furred dog men began to retreat to the nearby woods.

Caltressa grinned as the kobolds began to run away. "We did it!" She yelled. "The kobolds are retreating!"

Sir Joe Buck did not seem too pleased about the results however. He watched in disappointment as the kobolds ran towards the trees. Suddenly, his face brightened as a lone orc appeared near the entrance of the trees.

"No one retreats! Our tribes have suffered long enough at the hands of these humans! We will not be denied our vengeance because of Werewolf's death!" The Orc Lord gave a powerful shout and descended on the two knights before him. Behind him was a squad of orcish archers; their gakkungs raised for a barrage of arrows. The kobolds, seeing a powerful figure to rally behind to, began to attack once again.

Sir Joe Buck grinned and raised his sword to meet the charge. "Orc Lord!" He yelled excitedly. "I knew I'd get some for myself!" Before he could attack though, his second tugged at his cape.

"Sir Buck!" Caltressa shouted. "That's the Orc Lord and a squad of fresh orc archers! We have to regroup with the others!"

Sir Joe Buck shrugged his second's grip loose. "Don't be stupid!" He retorted. "A bunch of bow-toting orcs doesn't mean a thing! I can handle them easily!"

Caltressa's control snapped. "Who do you think you are?" She asked in frustration. "You may be fast but that doesn't mean you're capable of handling one of the great monsters! You think you're the doppelganger or something?"

Sir Joe Buck stared incredulously at her. He suppressed an urge to shout out "Yes!" at the his second. Before he could say anything at all, an orcish arrow suddenly struck Caltressa on the shoulder; causing her to tumble to the ground. "Caltressa!" He exclaimed. "Damn, that's going to sting! Orc Lord, how about a little one-on-one?"

Caltressa struggled to stand up before Sir Joe Buck pulled her up on her feet. "You alright?" He asked. "Get back to the others! I'll handle the Orc Lord!"

Caltressa shook her head. "If you're going to gamble your life with the Orc Lord then, at least, let me stay and help!" She protested.

SurJoe Buck suddenly ran his hand over his second's head. He immediately felt something warm and sticky on the back of her skull. Sure enough, when he looked at his hand, he found blood on the fingers. "Great, you must have hit your head on a rock or something." He said. "Look, you're bleeding! Get back already and get a priest to look you over!"

Caltressa shook her head stubbornly as she pulled out the arrow from her chest. More blood spurted from the wound. "A minor head wound, Sir Buck!" She insisted. "I can handle it!"

Before Joe Buck could reply, another wave of orcish arrows forced him to grab her and duck. The two of them crashed to the ground. "Damn it!" He cursed. "Get out of here, Caltressa! You're distracting me!"

Caltressa hesitated a bit more before deciding to follow her Knight Commander's orders. With her gone, the doppelganger turned to face the Orc Lord. "Well, my knights are a good distance from us, Orc Lord." He said. "How about that match?"

The Orc Lord brought his fists together and grinned toothily. "I've been waiting for this rematch, doppelganger!" He answered. This time it will be you who flees!"

The doppelganger grinned and charged. His broadsword flashed in the morning sun; swinging dangerously near the Orc Lord's neck. It gashed the Orc Lord's chest instead. The brawny orc responded by smashing a fist into his chest. The orcish archers were about to fire again when a herd of flaming, purple horses descended on them.

The air was filled with neighs and guttural war cries as the two immortal's minions clashed against each other. Suddenly, the air was also filled with the hisses and groans of the undead. The Orc Lord turned towards the strange sounds just in time to see a bandaged fist come towards him. The fist connected against the his face; flinging him back for a few feet. The bandaged figure of Osiris stood before the Orc Lord as he stood up. Behind him, the doppelganger grinned widely.

"It's funny how a simple anonymous warning to tip off your group would cause you to act this rashly. We've got you now, Orc Lord." Osiris spoke. He raised his fists in a martial stance. "The Orc Lord dies today. After him, the Orc Hero..."


	50. The siege falters

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 48: The siege falters**

"You've got no where to teleport, Orc Lord!" The doppelganger shouted. "This time your essence is ours!" He dashed forward, only to disappear among his fighting minions. Before the Orc Lord could even try to follow his movements, he was already attacking from behind. His broadsword cut deeply into the Orc Lord's back. In response, the Orc Lord tried to backhand him. He was too quick though; he jumped back in time to avoid the attack.

Osiris's fist struck the Orc Lord in the chest, sending him careening several feet backwards. "Don't let your guard down, doppelganger!" Osiris rumbled. "Remember that we have to kill him without your division finding out who you really are!"

The doppelganger grinned as he rushed the Orc Lord again. The immortal's essence was as good as theirs thanks to Osiris's plan. 'This will be great!' He thought. 'Once we get this one, I can beat the hells out of that goat, Baphomet!" His broadsword flickered from one side and moved to another.

Within moments, several wounds appeared all over the Orc Lord. Before the he could even counter, Osiris attacked from above. A bandaged heel crashed down on his collarbone. The doppelganger grinned again as the Orc Lord's collar cracked audibly.

"Damn you two!" The Orc Lord swore. "As soon as Hero gets here we shall see who gets to increase their strength with the essence of the fallen!"

Osiris stepped back and gestured. The doppelganger raised an eyebrow as something flew from the mummy's hand. Whatever it was, it was glowing and streaked at extremely high speed. The light was immediately gone before the Orc Lord or the doppelganger could follow it.

"Hey, Seiros!" The doppelganger called out. "What the hell was that?"

Osiris did not answer and attacked again. The Orc Lord met his flying kick with the same move. A ball of flames burst forth from the Orc Lord's open palm when their kicks collided, exploding right in front of Osiris. He raised his arms to protect himself from himself from the flames and stepped back. The doppelganger charged from behind the Orc Lord; his broadsword was practically a blur in his hands. Another streak of light suddenly flashed between the fighting immortals.

'Damn it!' The doppelganger thought. 'What the hell is Osiris doing? What could those bits of light be?' He ducked a punch from the Orc Lord and thrust with his sword. The blade gashed another wound on the Orc Lord's side before he pulled it back. A backhanded swing from the Orc Lord managed to catch him on the cheek. Even as he staggered back, he gestured towards his enemy. A jet of ice streaked towards his target; threatening to encase the orc in the resulting ice shards.

The Orc Lord countered with another blast of flames. Before he could recover from his spell, another spinning kick from Osiris sent him flying back a few more feet. He struggled to rise. He suffered from several gashes all over his body; marks that the doppelganger was responsible. The worse damage came from his broken collar bone and the cracked ribs; injuries caused by Osiris. 'I am faltering, damn it all.' He thought. 'Hero, I don't think I can hold against these two much longer.' He let out a guttural war cry and charged. Behind him, his orcish archers were slowly losing to the assault of nightmares and isis. The kobolds continued to fight valiantly but the constant barrage of spells were slaughtering them in numbers. He watched as one group of kobold archers were engulfed by a storm of whirling ice that left mere frozen figures in its wake. A moment later, a storm of red lightning replaced the ice, shattering the frozen kobolds and melting the hundreds of pieces that were left of them. 'The siege is breaking...the humans are winning again.' He roared in fury and drove his fist into Osiris' chest. The blow knocked Osiris backwards, stopping his attack momentarily. The Orc Lord immediately spun about and landed his heel on the doppelganger, who was about to attack from behind. Another bit of light flickered from the corner of his eye. 'That's the fourth...what do those things mean?'

Osiris recovered from his surprise and launched a barrage of quick jabs at the Orc Lord, who was forced to fall back in defense.

"Look out above you, Orc Lord!" Someone shouted.

The Orc Lord looked up in time to see a nightmare descend on him. A figure, seemingly made of purplish flames, appeared from the horse's back. A scythe swung from the figure's arms as it gave a loud neigh. He smashed his fist against the nightmare; causing it to dissipate. His eyes widened in realization as soon as he broke the minion.

"That was rather dumb of you, beef boy!" The doppelganger taunted. He dragged his broadsword from the ground; causing sparks from the stones it struck.

The blade cut deep into the Orc Lord's chest; spraying blood over his face. In reponse, he stared defiantly at the doppelganger and smashed his heel against the shadowy immortal's chest. "Curse the both of you!" He swore. "I may fall but I will drag you two down with me!"

A fifth bit of light flew past the Orc Lord as he charged against Osiris.

"You will fall today, Orc Lord, and you will do no such thing as dragging either of us down!" Osiris rumbled. His eyes began to glow steadily

The Orc Lord let out another war cry as he approached Osiris. "You humans are all alike, dead or alive; it has to be your will that must be obeyed!" He roared. "I remember you, Osiris, first emperor of the great Morrocan Empire! When you drove the orc tribes back from "your" lands, you paved the way for your progeny to abuse their power over the other races!"

Osiris switched to a different fighting stance as the Orc Lord dashed closer and closer. He placed his arms to the side; making it appear that he had no defenses of any sort. "What I did; I did for my people and my empire." He replied. "It's the same for you and your tribes, orc. We fought the same cause but from different sides. I would not have begrudged you if you tore my empire apart. The same should have been said for you!"

The doppelganger watched curiously as his partner began to trace strange symbols in the air. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the bits of light that Osiris had unleashed. The bits of light streaked around the battlefield; dancing over the fighting kobolds, orcs, knights and wizards. Charges of blue electricity jumped from one bit of light to the other.

The Orc Lord leapt high into the air and extended his foot. "One more attack out of defiance, Osiris!" He roared. "One more blow in the name of orcish freedom!"

Osiris's fingers traced the symbols of his long forgotten empire with the familiarity that came from founding and ruling it. After five were written, the symbols started glowing.

The doppelganger squinted to make out the letters. He smiled upon recognizing them. "Finishing strike, eh?" He said. "Well, if you're that drastic, Osiris, I'll oblige you!"

Osiris's fist began to shake as the Orc Lord descended on him. "One more strike then, Orc Lord!" He roared in return. "Give it to me and I will show you what determination the humans had and still have!"

The Orc Lord's kick struck Osiris fully on the chest. His bandaged feet scraped against the ground as the force threatened to knock him down. The Orc Lord's foot glowed red and exploded in a ball of raging flames that momentarily engulfed both combatants. "Not good enough, Orc Lord!" Osiris roared above the explosion. "A yearning for freedom is never enough to achieve it! Goals are accomplished with the most decisive strikes!" He emerged from the flames and directly above the Orc Lord. His fist struck the brawny orc in the face.

The doppelganger shielded his eyes at what happened next. The bits of light he had seen earlier grew into spheres of shining white light. They suddenly streaked from their paths and straight towards Osiris's fist. As soon as they merged, a terrific explosion rocked the entire battlefield. The five letters shone briefly before exploding. Humans, kobolds and orcs alike stopped momentarily to see what was happening.

The Orc Lord let out a dying scream as he flew backwards; His body smoking from the resulting blast of Osiris's attack. For him, time seemed to suddenly slow down. "I-I've lost...forgive me, Hero." He whispered. "I have failed our people..." He caught a glimpse of the battle. The kobolds were all but routed. Hundreds of smoking or frozen corpses littered the battlefield while the knights began to charge. Dozens of claymores plunged into the backs of retreating kobolds and orcs. The red high orcs he had brought as reinforcements were being driven back as well. More knights from the southern camp were attacking from their direction; neatly trapping the reds in a deadly pincer attack. 'We've lost...the humans remain superior after all.' He crashed to the ground. Before him stood Osiris and the doppelganger, who grinned and raised his sword.

Osiris raised a hand to stop his partner and knelt beside the dying orc. "Your race was never meant to take the front in the history of Rune-Midgard." He said softly. "You and the Orc Hero should have been content with staying in your lands; freeing yourselves from human influence."

The Orc Lord bared his teeth and laughed harshly. "You think the orcs would just lie down and die while the humans took everything?" He asked defiantly. "This thing started with your empire, Osiris. How fitting it is that you would have another hand in ensuring the miserable fate of the entire orcish race!"

Osiris's eyes dimmed. "I would have deemed your race lucky if you had remained in your lands after you took the colony from Prontera." He answered. "You would have been free of this war, free of death from human hands. You think the Lord of Death did not anticipate this?"

The Orc Lord struggled to remain conscious; to remain alive. "Take your victory already, Osiris." He gasped. "The orcs may fall in the battlefield but the spirit of our cause will never die!"

Osiris rose and signaled to his companion. The doppelganger shrugged his shoulders and plunged his broadsword into the Orc Lord's chest. The brawny orc gasped once and stiffened. One of the main leaders of the orc tribes finally died.

Osiris's eyes gleamed as he stared at the fallen immortal. "The spirit is always where the body is, Orc Lord, and your body is no more. Journey quickly to the afterlife and meet your tribesmen there. Take with you, as your dying memory, the fist of Osiris!"

The Orc Lord's body dissipated into white light, leaving nothing behind.

The doppelganger smiled and concentrated on absorbing his share of the Orc Lord's power. When the essence was gone, he turned towards his partner. "That was a hell of a finishing move, Seiros!" He said. "It must have taken almost everything out of you!"

Osiris stared suspiciously at the doppelganger. "You are correct." He answered. "I doubt if I can handle another immortal in my condition."

The doppelganger gripped his broadsword tightly and grinned at the bandaged immortal. He tensed briefly and his eyes seemed to consider his options. "You're one hell of a partner, Osiris." He finally said. "Glad to be working with you."

Osiris stared at the broadsword and clenched his fists as if waiting for an attack. "Indeed." He replied.

The two of them walked towards the knights and wizards, who began to cheer. Caltressa rushed over to Joe Buck and let out a loud cheer.

"You did it, sir!" Caltressa shouted. "The kobolds and orcs are falling back!"

The doppelganger looked behind him to ensure that the nightmares and isis had vanished. Fortunately, they were far away from the fighting to avoid being noticed. Sir Joe Buck allowed himself another smile. "We won this battle, Caltressa!" He shouted in return. "I say glory to the Fourteenth Knight Division!"

The knights let out another loud cheer. Victory belonged to them for this battle. The invading orcs had been driven back. One of their brutal leaders, the Orc Lord, had been defeated by their Knight Commander, Joe Buck, and his monk friend, Seiros.

Osiris's eyes glowed from his now-replaced hood as he walked away. There were more battles to be overcome before the orcish siege finally fell and that would only be the beginning.


	51. Battles engaged

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 49: Battles Engaged**

"Lances ready!"

Eliarainne Sialsanderin's voice carried plainly to every knight in her division. At once, forty-six lances moved to a horizontal position. No one in the knight division so much as quivered. The Knight Commander was in a foul mood. Two knights were already nursing bruises for accidentally banging their shields against their armor. To make things worse, Sir Makaelthos wasn't around to placate her. The early morning rain was reduced to a light drizzle by now. The dampness and the sense of approaching battle were making the pecopecos nervous. They squawked and shook their heads; ruffling their feathers out of fright and giddiness.

'Fight...I need to fight...I need to fight...'

The words repeated over and over in Eliarainne's mind. She knew that the moment she shifted her thoughts she would end up thinking of what happened earlier. Her chest already ached from that knowledge alone. If she didn't keep her mind somewhere else then the truth would probably hit her full force. She clenched her fists impatiently. 'What is taking them so long?' she thought. 'Signal the charge already!'

From her position, she could already see that the orcs were beginning to mobilize. The reds were moving as fast as they can to reach the kobold tribes in time before the remaining dog-men retreated. A few more minutes to go before the charge.

* * *

Makaelthos Solcry stood a good distance from the First Knight Division. He couldn't bring himself to face his partner now, not after what he had said earlier. With all his heart, he wanted to hold the knight tightly to tell her that he was lying to her and to himself. He wanted to tell her that he loved her since they were mere swordsmen and he only said what he did earlier because he didn't want every assassin in NightKnife to go after her because of him. Every time he felt that way though he felt the eyes of Trynis Eviskrae on his back; unable to let him go, threatening to destroy those he loved other than her.

'Master Makaelthos.'

Khaesilya's voice resounded in Makaelthos's mind. He knew that his sohee companion only used her telepathy for matters that she wanted only him to hear.

'Yes, Khaesilya?' he asked.

Khaesilya's voice was quiet, as if afraid of bringing up the topic. 'Do you still love Trynis Eviskrae?' she asked.

Makaelthos was silent for a while. 'Do I?' he thought. 'No, I ended that, years ago. Trynis and I have simply drifted apart. I can't understand why she refuses to accept that.'

Khaesilya's telepathic voice broke slightly. She was clearly nervous about the topic. 'But Lady Eliarainne-?'

'I can't do anything about it.' he replied. 'Not until I can ensure her safety from NightKnife.'

'But can't you protect her from them?' she insisted. 'Can't she stand up to Trynis?'

Makaelthos shook his head. 'Perhaps.' he thought. 'I can't risk such things. A careless move and she'd be dead and I can't bear that.'

Khaesilya pushed on. Her master's reasons made sense but she just felt that there were more important things to consider. 'But what about her?' she asked. 'Can she bear this?'

Makaelthos was completely silent with that one. No answer came to mind that could face Khaesilya's statement. Before she could mentally speak again, the Pronteran trumpets sounded. The attack had finally begun.

* * *

Kreizen was among the first to charge into the fray soon as the horns sounded. His two-handed axe tore through one high orc and slammed against the neck of another one behind it. Behind him, the Second Hunter Division fired their first volley against a squad of nearby orc archers. His younger sister was not among the hunters. He had told her to sit out the battle owing to the wounds she received from her fight with Maiha. He allowed himself a fierce grin as he moved among the high orcs. After slaying the ferocious red high orcs, "normal" high orcs seemed much easier. He saw the truth in that statement when he watched the First Knight Commander plunge headlong into a pack of high orcs. 'There goes Eliarainne.' he thought. 'That's strange. She seems a little too aggressive today. Besides, where's Makaelthos?'

* * *

Silmeia watched worriedly as Eliarainne crashed into her foes. Soon, one high orc was already flying from her while another one was stuck to the end of her lance. The First Knight Division managed to catch up with their Knight Commander a few minutes later. Soon, the entire field became a swirling maelstrom of metal and flesh.

"Silmeia, please be careful." Agranias said from behind her. "The orcs will try to reach your division to gain an advantage." He rode past her and charged into the fray. One high orc was unlucky enough to be caught in the middle of his charge. A moment later, another blue-skinned head rolled to the ground.

Silmeia managed to direct a few blessings towards him before he rode out of her range. 'Be careful too, Agranias.' she thought.

* * *

"Hero! The humans are attacking from the north!"

The Orc Hero pounded his fist against his planning table as the orc warrior-messenger departed to join the growing battle. "What?" he exclaimed in surprise. "We just sent the reds to aid the Lord over at the west gates!"

The Goblin Leader adjusted his face mask. "We have no choice." he said. "We must engage the humans with our current forces!"

Behind the Goblin Leader, the Panzer Goblin started up the strange-looking machine behind him before speaking up. "We can take those humans, anytime!" he said in a high pitched tone as he flew out of the tent.

The Goblin Leader wiped his war scepter with a piece of cloth. "I must agree with the Panzer Goblin, Orc Hero." he said. "It's time we attacked personally. We've already lost Werewolf."

The Orc Hero nodded grimly and sheathed the curved blade he always carried into battle. "Very well then." he replied. "We shall take the front this time."

* * *

Eliarainne plunged her lance into the chest of yet another orc. In her red-stained vision, their colors were barely visible. Red, blue, green...it didn't matter anymore. Anything that was colored, brawny and wielded an axe or a cleaver met its death on her lance. She raised her lance; raising the impaled orc with it and, with one quick motion, flung the beast behind her. "This feeling...it's...so much better!" she whispered to herself. She grinned fiercely as she split another orcish head open with a thrust of her lance. Bristle squawked as he forced himself to trample more and more of those his mistress knocked to the ground. His oridecon-tipped claws dripped with blood while his normally yellow feathers were bloodstained and soaked.

_"Don't be..."_

The memory caught Eliarainne off-guard; causing her next lance strike to miss. Furious, she pushed the unpleasant memory away and struck again. "What was I thinking?" she growled. "I didn't need that! All I need now is-" A feeling of elation came with each dying scream from her foes. This was it. This was what she really lived for. This was something her father...no, everyone couldn't understand. The battle. It was always about the next battle in the end.

"Eliarainne!" someone shouted.

Eliarainne paid the voice no attention. She knew that it came from Kreizen but even the blacksmith was of no importance now. Let him roll over and die if that was his fate in this battle. More foes awaited her from afar.

"You must be the one my goblins refer to as "steel-clad maiden"." the Panzer Goblin spoke. "You're quite impressive but your reputation will not save you now."

Eliarainne looked ahead to find a goblin hovering before her. The goblin was wearing a mask that looked like it was made of rubber. He was hovering a few feet above the ground thanks to the strange contraption attached to his back. The machine whirred noisily and blew out clouds of smoke from the pipes that stuck out of it. This was the Panzer Goblin. "I don't need my reputation, goblin." she said. "All I need is my lance and this feeling." She grinned, revealing wickedly sharp and pointed teeth beneath her mouth protector.

The Panzer Goblin was taken aback for a moment. All of a sudden he wasn't sure if he was faced with a human here.

"Don't just stand there, goblin!" Eliarainne roared. "Fight!"

* * *

The Goblin Leader smashed his scepter into the kneecap of one knight; sending the man tumbling to the ground. At once, he moved to stand above the knight and split his helmet open with a two-handed swing of his war scepter. "You humans will pay for the misery of the goblin tribes!" he shouted. "After this siege, it will be your kind who will hide under masks for shame!" He swung the war scepter into the stomach of another knight. Before the knight could even draw his weapon, though; a jolt of electricity suddenly flung him several feet away.

"You will not be the one who will make the humans suffer, you masked worm." someone said. "That honor belongs only to me!"

The Goblin Leader looked ahead of him to see who spoke. All he saw was what appeared to be a cloaked figure carrying a stick with a large bell attached to one end. There was only one being in Rune-Midgard that the Goblin Leader knew would carry such a stick. "Moonlight Flower." he growled.

* * *

The Orc Hero watched as his remaining forces engaged the main bulk of the human army. It was a losing battle. Even with the reds, his army could barely hold against the fearsome soldiers of Prontera. 'It's up to me then.' he thought. 'It's time the hero played his part.'

The Orc Hero walked slowly among the hundreds of duels that occurred and ended around him. "A thousand years of subservience." he said to himself. A mounted knight charged towards him. Before the lance could connect, his sword flicked forward; decapitating the pecopeco. As the knight crashed to the ground, he walked up the fallen rider and slashed; killing the man almost instantly. "A thousand years of humiliation." He continued to walk slowly across the battlefield. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the presence of a Pronteran war assassin. The man flitted among the piling corpses and waited for him to show his back. As soon as he did so, the assassin sprung into action.

Only to be sliced in half by the Orc Hero's wide swing.

"One thousand." The Orc Hero charged and jumped. His sword struck another mounted knight; neatly splitting both the rider and his mount. Lighting exploded from his strike; shocking those close to him. "All that time the tribes suffered." he growled to himself. He let loose a powerful war cry and advanced on his foes. The high orcs around him roared in return and renewed their efforts.

"The Hero fights with us! We will never lose against the humans again!"

"My life to your cause, Hero!"

"Leader command, your people follow!"

The Orc Hero slammed against a group of knights as he swung his sword about. His keen-edged blade sliced through the armor of several knights at once; causing blood to spray everywhere. He watched in fury as another dead high orc fell to the ground. The killer, another Pronteran war assassin, did not get the chance to rejoice over the victory. The assassin's body struck the ground a few seconds after his victim's. The Orc Hero roared out his fury. "Where is justice now?" he shouted. "Must I tear through your armies before I find it? Why can you trample over my people and get away with it while I am denied my vengeance? You will pay! You will all pay!" He watched as the knights parted before him. His sword dripped with the blood of so many enemies. "I will not bow down to you humans." he growled. "I am the Orc Hero; I carry the pride of my people with me each battle." He smiled briefly as he recognized the blacksmith before him. "Kreizen Xalascent." he said. "Let us finish this fight between us then."

Kreizen raised his two-handed axe and advanced. "You're on, Orc Hero." he answered. "I will settle this battle with your death!"

All around the two, the battle continued to swirl endlessly.


	52. Death

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 50: Death**

The Goblin Leader watched his foe carefully. He had heard tales of Payon's Moonlight Flower. Every goblin knew that, despite his harmless appearance, Moonlight was extremely dangerous.

"I can smell your fear underneath that mask, Goblin Leader." Moonlight said. "Are you afraid of me?" He chuckled slightly and advanced on the Goblin Leader. In a flash the bell stick descended on his enemy's head.

The goblin leader countered by raising his scepter above his head; blocking Moonlight's frontal assault. "It will take more than your boastful yowling to cow me, cat!" he taunted in return. He pushed the bell-stick aside and swiped at Moonlight's legs with his scepter.

Moonlight was quick to jump back at the attack. At the same time, he raised a hand; causing a flurry of light shards to fly towards his foe. The shards struck the Goblin Leader with the force of hurled stones; sending him reeling back. "There is more to me than "boastful yowling", goblin!" He snarled.

The Goblin Leader charged. He knew that there was no way he could beat Moonlight's spellcasting power. The best option for him was to close in and force the cat-being to use his bell stick. "Cease your cowardly spellcasting and face me, Moonlight!" he shouted.

The war scepter swept forward again; only to be nimbly dodged by Moonlight. "Already I can see your weaknesses." he taunted. "You are no match for me! Just stand still and let me absorb you!"

The Goblin Leader lashed out again. "Never!" he shouted. "You maybe a twice as strong as I am or perhaps greater. "I will still defy you with every swing I make! No one looks down on the goblins!"

The war scepter whistled past Moonlight's midriff; missing it by a mere inch. "You're not even touching me, goblin!" he said. "Give up!" Moonlight's bell stick lashed out; striking the goblin leader on the back of his hand. The war scepter dropped to the ground. "You haven't absorbed anyone have you?" he sneered. "A pity."

The Goblin Leader dove for the scepter only to have the bell stick smash into his face. Moonlight stepped on the scepter and pointed his bell stick at the masked immortal. "Defy me, will you?" he crowed. "This is the end then."

The Goblin Leader let out a war cry and jumped towards Moonlight. While goblin hands were not adept at clawing, his sharp fingernails tore at the unprepared Moonlight's face. The cat-being snarled furiously and kicked him backward.

A portion of Moonlight's hood had been torn away; revealing smooth skin and a red, human-like eye. Blood trickled down the cut on his cheek. "You pathetic piece of maggot meat!" he snarled. "How dare you!" He raised a hand and pointed it at the Goblin Leader.

A moment later, the masked immortal was flying backwards. Massive surges of electricity coursed through his body. His royal garments smoked as the edges started to char. The wooden mask over his face cracked. "You're not a cat now aren't you, Moonlight?" he sneered. "In fact, you look and sound like a girl!"

Moonlight's hands crackled with power. "You'll regret even mentioning that, goblin." he growled. "Die already!"

Another lightning sphere struck the Goblin Leader. This time, his mask completely split in two. "I cannot match you, Moonlight Flower." he said. "But I will not allow you to benefit from what power I have!" He drew forth a small knife and pointed it to his throat. Moonlight's eyes widened in alarm as he rushed forward.

"That won't be necessary, goblin!" someone roared. A large, clawed paw suddenly struck the Goblin Leader from behind. He cried out and fell forward. Behind him stood a massive, furred being.

"Your essence belongs to us." Eddga growled.

Moonlight watched as the lumbering figure of his partner, Eddga, stood above the Goblin Leader's body. "Eddga!" he exclaimed. "What happened to you?" His eyes narrowed as he saw the grievous wounds that marked Eddga's body. Several black-shafted arrows, each the size of a small javelin, were buried on Eddga's shoulders. Massive sword cuts crisscrossed his chest and back while a gigantic lance wound was bleeding profusely from his left side. His breathing was heavy and strained.

"I was...hunted down by the Lord of Death and his accursed abysmal knights." Eddga answered. His claws descended on the Goblin Leader; practically shredding the dying immortal to pieces. The Goblin Leader's remains transformed to light and bathed both of them. Eddga fell to his knees. "It is not enough!" he growled. "My wounds are still great!"

Moonlight felt the light suffuse him before it vanished. "The Lord of Death attacked you?" he asked. "That means he's still around."

Eddga nodded and tried to rise. "He is...close by...terribly close!" he gasped.

The bell stick suddenly lashed forward striking Eddga on the chest; causing him to fall flat on his back. "Moonlight!" he said in confusion. "What are you doing?" He watched as a grim expression settled on his "partner's" feminine face.

"You are far too wounded to be of any help now, Eddga." Moonlight answered. "You cannot enter the city and I will not risk you being absorbed by Osiris and the doppelganger or the Lord of Death for that matter." He brought his weapon furiously on Eddga's unprotected head; wincing as he felt the tiger's skull break at the force of his blow. Eddga gave a single yowl in surprise before collapsing to the ground. Moonlight smiled sadly as the light suffused his female body once more. "A shame it must come to this. Your strength will not be wasted, Eddga." He adjusted his cloak and watched the southern horizon.

"Lord of Death...I finally understand what you are planning."

* * *

"Perish!"

Eliarainne's lance smashed past the Panzer Goblin's defense; delivering a large gash on the right side of his chest.

The Panzer Goblin immediately pulled one of the levers in his contraption and hovered backwards. 'By the ancestors.' he thought. 'This woman's strength matches the Orc Hero's himself!' He adjusted another lever in his machine; causing an arbalest to pop out of a secret compartment. "Strong you may be but not invulnerable!" he shouted. The bolt flew from his arbalest; lodging between the elunium plates of the knight's armor near her waist.

Eliarainne gave an annoyed grunt and pulled the bolt out. "Pathetic!"she taunted. "And to think you're supposed to be an immortal!" Her lance seemed to dance in front of the Panzer Goblin as she waved it around menacingly. Before he could react, the point punched through his defense once more. This time the lance tore through the machine behind him; causing sparks and metal to start flying off. She smiled as he hovered back for several feet. Despite her fighting an immortal, she knew that the fight shifted too far to her own advantage. "Let's end this now, Panzer Goblin!" she taunted again. "Fire your best shot!"

In response the Panzer Goblin hovered in midair for a while and took careful aim. It was unlikely that he was going to get a second shot should this one miss. The bolt left his arbalest silently; its target was the knight's forehead.

"Too slow!" Eliarainne shouted. She tilted her head to the side and allowed the bolt to pass. At the same time, she hurled her lance towards the Panzer Goblin. The oridecon shaft flew true; impaling him directly in the chest.

"Leader...I...I've failed." the Panzer Goblin gasped. To his horror and fury, the knight began laughing. It wasn't the laughter of triumph or amusement, it was the laughter of derision.

"So much for the great immortals!" Eliarainne shouted in triumph. "States of power do not secure a battle after all!"

The Panzer Goblin pulled one last lever in his machine. "You foul knight!" he snarled. "Your death will be the last contribution I make for our cause!" He hurtled at the knight at a speed so fast that she did not even have time to look up. In a moment the machine had collided against her.

And exploded.

A massive ball of fire blossomed in the middle of the battlefield; knocking nearby combatants flying. The heat caused some of the knights' armor to melt in some places. It burned flesh and seared eyes on occasion. The blast was so great that it even caught the attention of faraway combatants. A massive crater formed beneath the blast while chunks of rock and earth flew about and rolled on the ground. Bits of shredded metal rained down on the area around the explosion.

"Useless."

Eliarainne rode out of the blast slowly. Not an inch of her was touched by the flames. Underneath her, Bristle squawked nervously; surprised that he remained unharmed save for a few singed feathers. Whatever protected his rider somehow extended to him.

"I am a being of fury and battle." Eliarainne said. "Material fire does not harm me." She chuckled slightly and removed her lance from the ashes of the dead Panzer Goblin. "Now...who's next?"

She rode towards the battlefield once more.

* * *

'The goblins have fallen.'

The thought crossed the Orc Hero's mind only briefly. He did not have the time to dwell on them as a two-handed axe swung towards him again. When he saw the Panzer Goblin's explosion, he knew that his cause was probably lost. The orc tribes alone did not stand a chance against the might of the human armies. 'The orcs will fall here as well.' he thought. 'Let us be free in death then if freedom in life cannot be achieved.' He deflected Kreizen's attack with his shield struck the man in the face with the flat of his blade. "I will fall in this battle, Kreizen Xalascent." he said. "But it won't be now and it won't be by your hand!"

Kreizen pulled out another bag of zenny. "Since when have you become an expert at predictions, Orc Hero?" he replied. "I say you will fall now and by my hand as well!"

The Orc Hero grinned fiercely and charged. His curved weapon sliced a vicious wound on Kreizen's right leg. Golden light exploded as Kreizen's axe bit deep into his right shoulder. The force of the strike caused him to stagger back a few steps. "Strong as I anticipated." he said. "But there is a limit to what you can do, Kreizen!" He jumped high into the air and raised his sword. Suddenly, lighting crackled down on Kreizen; striking him directly on the chest.

Kreizen grit his teeth as his chainmail conducted the bolt and spread it all over his body. 'Damn it!' he thought. 'He's going to keep attacking from a distance at this rate! I have to find a way to close in!' He forced himself to go forward despite the agony that the lightning left him. His legs shook and twitched; making it difficult to even walk forward. For a brief moment, he wished that his sister was behind him. It was always Seihanine who handled the long-ranged opponents! 'Stupid me. Why would I wish that Sei was in a situation as dangerous as this?' He managed to get under the orc hero as the immortal descended from his jump. "I've got you now, Orc Hero!" he shouted. His two-handed axe swung forward; catching the Orc Hero on the leg. The Orc Hero countered by slicing another wound on his shoulder.

"You're still not a match for me, Kreizen!" the Orc Hero shouted. "Close but not enough...argh!" Before he could finish the sentence, a black-shafted arrow suddenly struck him from behind. "Who dares?" he snarled. He turned around to see what kind of cowardly hunter would shoot him from behind.

From the edge of the battlefield a white-armored rider watched silently as the orcs slowly lost. Behind it were seven more riders, all clad in black armor. One of them held an enormous bow; the one that probably launched the arrow that pierced the Orc Hero's shoulder and came out of his chest.

"Lord of Death." the Orc Hero growled. "So he didn't disappear after all."

* * *

The Lord of Death laughed silently as he watched the orc hero stare at him defiantly.

_**" Poor deluded orcs...you crave freedom when no living being is ever free. You toil to survive, each day you collapse from weariness just to feed yourself or to keep yourself clothed. Where is the freedom in that? No...you are born slaves to your mortality and the grim reality of death...you are slaves and I am your Lord!"**_

The Lord of Death raised a hand as a signal.

Behind him, legion upon legion of raydrics began their march.


	53. Sacrifice

**Crimson Twilight: Dusk**

**Chapter 51: Sacrifice**

"Lord of Death!"

The Orc Hero pulled the black-shafted arrow out of his chest and broke it in defiance. All hope was surely gone now. The tribes have truly lost with the humans coming from the north and the Lord of Death's army of raydrics and coming from practically every other direction. "This is the end." he quietly admitted to himself. "However-!" He turned his back on the blacksmith he was fighting and charged towards the Lord of Death. "Lord of Death!" he roared.

Kreizen did not pursue the Orc Hero. He was in no condition to continue dueling with the orc anyway. Besides, that meant wading among the legions of raydrics that headed their way. He was no coward but he knew the difference between difficult and suicidal. 'So Lord of Death didn't just back off from the orc tribes after all.' he thought. He turned around only to find himself face to face with Eliarainne. "Eliarainne, what are you doing?" he asked. "We have to get back!"

Eliarainne smiled and let Bristle carry her forward slowly. She had removed her bone helm, the metal fins that jutted from the sides of her face and her iron cain. Her short, auburn hair fell limply to the sides of her face. What unnerved Kreizen the most were her red eyes. Even from a distance he couldn't help but notice them. "Get back?" she asked. "There is nothing inside Prontera that could entice me to just go back when all the fighting is out here."

Kreizen readied his axe. Something was very wrong here. "That's nonsense!" he said. "Now is not the time to fight! We have to regroup!"

Eliarainne continued to advance towards Kreizen. "Not the time to fight?" she asked. "It depends. This war…why are we fighting it?"

Kreizen's eyes narrowed. "Same reason why we fight any war, Rainne." he answered. "For peace!"

Eliarainne couched her lance to a killing position. "Peace?" she said. "Yes, I fight for peace but it's not the peace you know and understand!"

Kreizen took a step back. He had seen Eliarainne stare down opponents before. He had seen her break through a group of any monster imaginable in Rune-Midgard but she did not look intimidating before as she was now. Without any helmet; allowing her hair to sway gently to the wind, she really looked like the war goddess that her men referred to her as. Her eyes reminded him of a demon's. She continued to speak. Her voice was low and raspy and he had to strain just to hear them. "Peace is a state of mind." she said. "It's when you become content with everything around you; settling into some sort of harmony with your surroundings. Let's face it, Kreizen! I'm only ever truly at peace in the heat of combat!" She spurred Bristle faster. Her lance gleamed in the tiny amounts of morning light the storm clouds above them let through. Kreizen planted his feet on the ground and prepared to meet the charge. He had no idea why Eliarainne was going to attack him. Her words were frightening…what had happened to her? "Get out of my way, Kreizen, or I'll kill you too!" she roared.

Kreizen shook his head. "Rainne, something's wrong with you." he said. "I'm not letting you ride to your doom because you want it!"

Eliarainne's expression contorted in fury. Her red eyes flashed with strange, crimson light. "If you won't stand aside then die!"

Despite fighting for so long, Bristle charged at full speed. Eliarainne thrust her lance at Kreizen. He jumped aside to avoid the strike only to have the lance graze his right side.

'What the…?' Kreizen thought. 'How did she hit me there?' He clutched his bleeding side and turned to face Eliarainne. In a matter of seconds, she had maneuvered Bristle for another devastating charge. She was grinning fiercely now. He could see the pointed teeth and the unnatural-looking fangs. 'God, what the hell happened to her?"

Eliarainne charged again. This time, she swept her lance against the ground. Kreizen grit his teeth; the attack was going to come from below. He sidestepped the attack and swung the flat of his axe towards her. Suddenly, she dropped down to the side of her saddle; causing the two-handed axe to whistle harmlessly above her. As she rode past him, she switched to an upright position on her saddle. Before he could even recover from the first strike, she twisted her hips to maneuver Bristle; allowing her to face his back. Her lance thrust again; gashing his left side this time. "You're too slow, Kreizen!" she taunted. "You may as well just stand there while I lance you!"

Kreizen's mind raced as Eliarainne charged him again. How was he going to stop that charge if he can't even evade it? He met the charge head on; hoping to surprise her and get a solid blow in. He had to remove her from Bristle or he will never beat her.

"Head on?" Eliarainne sneered. "How painfully obvious!" Her lance struck Kreizen high on the chest; dealing another deep gash. Suddenly, she pulled it back and stabbed again; burying it into his left leg. He swung his axe only to have it deflected by her shield. She continued charging until she was a good distance from him.

Kreizen staggered to meet another charge. "Damn it!" he swore. "And that's the lance I forged for her!" He allowed himself a grim smile as she charged again. He would probably not survive this one. The lance sped towards his chest at an incredible speed.

And rebounded from someone's shield.

Eliarainne struggled to maintain her balance as her lance bounced from the shield. Bristle kept moving forward; forcing her to look back to see who the one who interfered. "Makaelthos." she whispered.

Makaelthos stood in front of Kreizen. His shield was dented in several places; revealing that he was in the thick of the fighting. Farther behind him was Khaesilya, who watched worriedly over her master. "Eliarainne, stop." he said.

Eliarainne's smile vanished with those words. She stared balefully at Makaelthos. "You're still saying that?" she asked. "Fine! Die as well!" She spurred her pecopeco harder. This crusader before her was a hateful source of her fury and misery. He had to die! The lust for carnage was disappearing inside of her; it was being replaced by a painful ache in her chest that intensified with each look at him. "I can't stand this…" she rasped. "Stop it!" She thrust her lance forward; striking Makaelthos's squarely in the middle. He allowed the blow to scrape against his shield and moved closer towards Bristle. His saber slashed towards her lance arm. The blow connected and exploded with holy power. She cried out in pain and fury. Her lance suddenly whipped about; tearing a gash on Makaelthos's right shoulder guard. The point grazed the his shoulder as well; causing it to bleed profusely.

"Eliarainne…holy power burns you like it does a demon but I refuse to believe that this is what you've become!" Makaelthos said. He advanced on Eliarainne. His saber started to glow with gathering holy energies.

Eliarainne started panting as she prepared for another charge. The pain in her chest had worsened when he struck her. 'He's wounded me!' she thought. 'It's…painful…so painful…' She charged again. This time, her lance was aimed directly towards the Makaelthos's chest.

Makaelthos's eyes narrowed as his saber began to glow with a brilliant, white light. One strike was all he needed to end this but it was the ending and its finality that scared him more than the oncoming lancing strike from his partner. 'I caused this.' he thought. 'I am such a fool.'

Eliarainne let out a battle cry as the lance struck. Makaelthos shouted as well and moved forward. From behind, both Kreizen and Khaesilya held their breath.

The lance's oridecon point punched through Makaelthos's shield. It punched through his plate armor and into his chest. It tore through flesh, bypassed bone and burst out of his back; missing his heart by a mere inch. The saber struck Eliarainne's shield and cleaved it in two. It cut into her full plate and buried itself into her side, between the gaps of armor near her armpit. The white light within the saber exploded into a flash of brilliance that engulfed both of them. On the ground, a massive cross began to form.

Eliarainne screamed as the light engulfed her. She could feel every inch of her skin burning up. The light seemed to get into her eyes; causing them to burn in their sockets. She felt her lance drop to the ground. All of a sudden, she felt very tired. 'What? What was I doing? I was…trying to kill Makaelthos? But I-' She clutched her head. Her mind felt like it was about to burst. She pitched forward from her mount. Before she completely passed out she felt herself being caught by a pair of armored arms. "Makaelthos." she whispered.

* * *

The Orc Hero made his way towards the Lord of Death. Around him, the remaining orcs rallied in one final attempt to clash against the raydrics. It was a hopeless battle. Already he could see one red high orc charge towards the advancing legion. Two raydrics immediately engaged it. The first one met its twin buster axes with a massive claymore. The second circled around the two before attacking from behind. The red high orc watched as its axes were dashed aside by the first raydric and then roared in pain as a claymore stabbed it from behind. Without hesitation, the first raydric moved in and decapitated it. After systematically dismembering the red high orc, the two raydrics moved back to their positions and continued to march without so much as missing a beat.

_**"This is the end for you, Orc Hero. Give up."**_

The Lord of Death's taunts only made the Orc Hero run faster. The humans were retreating to their city; leaving his troops to be slaughtered while they watched from their walls. The daunting figure of the Lord of Death beckoned for him to approach.

_**"Meet your end, Hero. No nobility, no honor, no glory…just the end."**_

The Lord of Death's massive, white mount moved forward. The ground around it trembled with each step the horse took. A long, silver lance, gracefully tapered into a single deadly point, shone in its right hand. In its left was a giant shield, as long as a man was tall, with a cross in the middle. The Orc Hero let out a powerful war cry. Only a few more feet separated him from the Lord of Death.

Suddenly, a black arrow whizzed from behind the Lord of Death, embedding itself into the Orc Hero's leg. He slowed only briefly as he felt the pain. In that brief moment, the Lord of Death was before him.

The Lord of Death caused its horse to leap towards the Orc Hero. The lance shone against the gray skies and descended.

The Orc Hero roared as the lance buried itself into his chest. The silver point emerged from his back with frightening ease.

_**"Your death will plunge your tribes into the depths of despair, Orc Hero. I shall spare a few of them if only to savor their misery. As for you, die and give me your essence, just as Maya and so many other immortals have."**_

The Orc Hero grasped the shaft of the lance and tried to pull himself up towards the Lord of Death, who remained impassive as his opponent went limp. It was over.

Behind the Lord of Death, the abysmal knights led its army towards the gates of Prontera itself. With the orc tribes practically annihilated, the real siege was about to begin.

* * *

"Eliarainne."

Makaelthos Solcry watched his partner worriedly as he held her limp form in his arms. He had healed his stab wound and now focused on her injuries. Healing energy flowed from him; causing the burns and cuts to vanish. To his relief she slowly woke up; revealing bright, hazel eyes instead of the fierce, red ones he had seen earlier. He held her tighter.

"Makaelthos." Eliarainne whispered. She reddened slightly when she awoke to find herself in Makaelthos's arms. The incredible fury and battle lust that drove her to relentlessly attack him and Kreizen earlier was gone now. The only emotion left was-

"I'm sorry." Makaelthos said. "I considered so many things that I failed to realize how it would affect you." He put Eliarainne back on her feet and held her by the shoulders. "I've allowed to Trynis to decide how I lived my life. Her hate would mean nothing if I had known I would do this to you."

Eliarainne quivered slightly as Makaelthos locked his arms around her. Despite his injuries, his embrace was firm yet gentle.

"Eliarainne, I love you too." Makaelthos said. "Ever since we met I've loved you. Fear kept me from saying that earlier. Only now have I realized that I shouldn't have been afraid."

Eliarainne blinked her tears away and returned Makaelthos's embrace. Instead of disappearing, the ache in her chest seemed to intensify. Her heart was racing; it was hard to think of anything right now. Even if an army of raydrics was quickly advancing towards them.

Kreizen Xalascent allowed himself to grin as he watched his two friends. "About time, damn it!" he said to himself. "I can't believe I had to get myself stabbed several times with a lance just to see them like this. Wait a minute-!" His eyes widened in horror as a warp portal emerged behind Eliarainne. From the portal stepped forth the massive figure of Baphomet and behind the demon was the Dark Lord.

"The presence is gone!" Baphomet roared. "You disappoint me, knight!"

Kreizen rushed towards the two. Even as he sprinted with all his might, he knew it would be too late. "Rainne!" he shouted. "Makaelthos! Watch out!"

Makaelthos looked up in time to see the scythe descend towards Eliarainne at terrifying speed. He pulled Eliarainne aside and stood over her protectively. The scythe sliced past hiss armor and lodged deep into his chest. Blood, bright red blood, splattered on Eliarainne's face and armor. Makaelthos looked down to see the scythe firmly lodged into his body. Instead of being horrified, he focused his gaze on the demon. "Baphomet…you did this to her!" he said. His saber flashed with white light once more as it struck the goat-demon on the chest. The light exploded into a cross-shaped blast that was far bigger than the last one.

Baphomet roared in fury as he pulled his scythe out. The light seared his demon flesh and began consuming it. He stepped back and waved his scythe about. The pain was horrible; it felt as if he was going to burn away with the light.

"Stand back, Baphomet!" the Dark Lord said. He gestured, causing a wave of darkness to surround the cross. Even as he did, a blur of movement suddenly registered from the corner of his sight. The blur headed towards the explosion. The darkness closed in and began to smother the light when a saber suddenly flew from the explosion. The Dark Lord screamed as the saber sank into his chest. More holy power exploded from the sword; burning away a good portion of his undead body. He pulled the sword out and tossed it aside. "It was a waste of time for us to appear here, Baphomet!" he cursed at the demon. "We must depart before the Lord of Death closes in on us!"

Still roaring, Baphomet emerged from the fading light. One of his horns had been reduced to a charred stump and a good portion of his fur had burned away. He glared at Eliarainne for one last time and stepped back into the portal.

"Makaelthos!" Eliarainne screamed. She recovered from her shock and rushed towards the light but, as the brilliance faded, Makaelthos had completely vanished. All that remained was his glowing saber. "Makaelthos…no…no!"

A heartrending wail rose above everything else, even Eliarainne's cry. She turned to see Khaesilya drop to the ground. Khaesilya's eyes remained open in a blank stare as she lay on the ground.

Kreizen lifted Khaesilya up and checked for signs of life. Finding her alive, he looked forlornly at Eliarainne's direction.

Eliarainne grasped the saber; tears flowed freely from her eyes now. "Makaelthos!" her cry resounded across the battlefield.

From near the southern gates, Silmeia heard the cry and turned to see where it came from. She immediately saw her friend, Eliarainne, holding a still glowing saber. At once, she realized what had happened. Even Agranias, who had retreated towards her, knew that Makaelthos had disappeared. "How could this have happened?" she said softly. "Makaelthos!" She burst into tears. She had failed again, this time it was Makaelthos who paid the price for her failure. She caught sight of the Lord of Death and her grief turned into rage. "You!" she shouted at the immortal. "I hate you! This is your doing! All of this!"

Agranias stared at the Lord of Death and then focused on Silmeia. 'He's coming.' he thought. 'This battle will be inevitable now.'

Kreizen grabbed hold of Eliarainne and tried to pull her up. The raydrics where getting closer. If they didn't retreat now, they would be overrun.

From Eliarainne's grip, the saber glowed faintly for a while.

And faded away.


	54. A timeline of Dusk

_** A timeline of the events of Crimson Twilight: Dusk**_

**Year 943 Prontera Triumphant (PT)**

Sixth Month

8th day

- The hunters of dead disappear during an expedition to the pyramids of Morroc

10th day

- Two pronteran investigators, Makaelthos Solcry and Eliarainne Sialsanderin, encounter Osiris and the doppelganger in a tavern in Morroc.

11th day

- Agranias is taken into Prontera under Silmeia's care.

- Makaelthos and Eliarainne return to Prontera.

- The Lord of Death appears in Prontera.

14th day

- Captain Drake appears in Alberta.

21st day

- Prontera sends the first knight division to Alberta

22nd day

- The first knight division returns to Prontera.

- Sir Gardzen Haelungrein challenges Sir Agranias to an arena duel.

24th day

- Orcville is razed by the orc tribes.

26th day

- The orc tribes begin their siege of Prontera

- The Dark Lord burns down the main pronteran church.

27th day

- The red high orcs appear.

- Koullufen Aethernas is murdered. Trenzein Zaisen is suspected.

- Werewolf is killed by Trenzein Zaisen.

28th day

- The pronteran army launches its counterattack

- The orcish siege is routed

- Makaelthos Solcry is declared missing in action. 


End file.
